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Lockheed PAC-3 ACE drops hit-to-kill mechanism for fragmentation warhead to reduce per-shot cost

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Lockheed Martin’s PAC-3 ACE variant will abandon the kinetic hit-to-kill intercept in favour of a conventional fragmentation warhead, according to a July statement by a company vice-president cited in Russian milblogger analysis. Accompanying simplifications include a cheaper seeker, a single-pulse rather than dual-pulse motor, removal of the lateral maneuvering block, and lower-cost airframe construction. The stated goal is a high-volume, affordable interceptor for cruise missiles, aircraft and similar targets where spending a full PAC-3 MSE round is economically unsustainable at the engagement rates being seen in Ukraine.

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Topicsinterceptorsmissiles

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