Global Sourcing Spotlight: How to Evaluate Supplier Capabilities Worldwide
The Knowledge Base: Cultivating Your Brand in the Age of Connection
SMT Perspectives and Prospects: Warren Buffett’s Perpetual Wisdom, Part 2
Boeing’s Patriot Program Tops Seeker Production Records
August 8, 2024 | BoeingEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Boeing’s Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) seeker program, which builds the component that enables the most advanced interceptors used by the Patriot system to identify, track and intercept fast-moving threats, is off to a record-setting start in 2024. The program surpassed its previous three- and six-month rolling PAC-3 seeker production records, and is also on pace to break its annual seeker production record by over 20% by year-end.
“The PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement — equipped with a Boeing seeker — saves lives,” said Jim Bryan, director of Integrated Air & Missile Defense. “U.S. and allied service members and civilians rely on what our teammates build and deliver, so we’re ramping up production to provide more protection in more places to help meet the need for this capability.”
Several factors contributed to the production ramp-up, including improvements in manufacturing processes and production control; greater supply chain stability to support PAC-3 circuit card assembly and complete seeker manufacturing; and improved first-time quality in product testing.
PAC-3 seekers provide the most advanced interceptors used by the Patriot system with precision target location data to defeat everything from incoming ballistic and cruise missiles to hostile aircraft and other advanced weapons. Seventeen countries around the world now have PAC-3 interceptors, including most recently Ukraine.
Since 2000, Boeing has delivered more than 5,000 increasingly sophisticated PAC-3 seekers for the U.S. Army and partners around the globe as a subcontractor to Lockheed Martin in Huntsville, Alabama. The rate expansion is part of a broader strategic plan to ramp up seeker production and reduce the existing backlog of orders. The overall effort includes:
Building a 35,000-square-foot (3,300-square-meter) expansion of its PAC-3 Seeker Factory in Huntsville to increase annual production capacity by more than 30%.
Investing in cutting-edge equipment and technology such as automated inspection and robotic soldering equipment.
Continuing to strengthen and expand supplier relationships, as well as form strategic agreements for a more agile, efficient and resilient supply chain that can scale up as needed.
Share on:
Testimonial
"Advertising in PCB007 Magazine has been a great way to showcase our bare board testers to the right audience. The I-Connect007 team makes the process smooth and professional. We’re proud to be featured in such a trusted publication."
Klaus Koziol - atgSuggested Items
izmomicro Achieves Breakthrough in Silicon Photonics Packaging, Establishing India's Leadership in Advanced Semiconductor Integration
08/21/2025 | PRNewswireizmomicro, a specialized division of izmo Ltd., announced a major milestone in silicon photonics packaging, underscoring its role as a pioneer in India's semiconductor ecosystem and advancing the country's position in the global race toward next-generation data and AI infrastructure.
Northrop Grumman Integrates Multiple Antennas to Track Satellites in First-Time USSF DARC Demo
08/19/2025 | Northrop GrummanNorthrop Grumman Corporation and U.S. Space Force (USSF) Space Systems Command’s (SSC) Deep-Space Advanced Radar Capability (DARC) successfully combined the capability of multiple ground-based antennas at DARC Site 1 in Western Australia, demonstrating technology that will create the world’s most capable deep-space tracking radar system.
Thermal Interface Materials – Transition to High-Performance Materials
08/18/2025 | IDTechExIDTechEx forecasts that the market size of thermal interface materials (TIMs) will exceed US$7 billion, covering multiple industries including EV batteries, EV power electronics (TIM1 and TIM2), data centers, advanced semiconductor packaging (TIM1 and TIM1.5), ADAS sensors, consumer electronics, and 5G.
Koh Young Appoints George Hsu to Lead Newly Opened Taiwan Office to Drive Semiconductor and Advanced Packaging Growth
08/18/2025 | Koh YoungKoh Young Technology, the global leader in True 3D measurement-based inspection and metrology solutions, is pleased to announce the appointment of George Hsu as Managing Director of Koh Young Taiwan, its newly established branch office in Zhubei City, Hsinchu County.
Coherent Announces Agreement to Sell Aerospace and Defense Business to Advent for $400 Million
08/15/2025 | AdventCoherent Corp., a global leader in photonics, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Aerospace and Defense business to Advent, a leading global private equity investor, for $400 million. Proceeds will be used to reduce debt, which will be immediately accretive to Coherent’s EPS.