Lockheed develops a cheaper Patriot missile interceptor

Lockheed Martin introduced the PAC-3 ACE at the Farnborough International Airshow, a cheaper Patriot interceptor costing less than half of the PAC-3 MSE, which is priced around $4 million. Simultaneously, X-Bow Systems unveiled Buckler, a flight-tested interceptor designed to neutralize Group 3 drones at supersonic speeds. Buckler is priced under $100,000 per unit, representing a significant cost reduction compared to traditional air defense missiles used to defeat the same category of threats.