Global Citizenship: Together for a Perfect PCB Solution
Smart Automation: Odd-form Assembly—Dedicated Insertion Equipment Matters
Nolan’s Notes: Everyone Has Their Eye on India
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
"In a year when every marketing dollar mattered, I chose to keep I-Connect007 in our 2025 plan. Their commitment to high-quality, insightful content aligns with Koh Young’s values and helps readers navigate a changing industry. "
Brent Fischthal - Koh YoungSuggested Items
Too Important to Ignore: Unpacking Advanced Packaging for AI Semiconductor – Report Summary
09/16/2025 | FuturumAdvanced packaging is becoming the cornerstone of AI semiconductor scaling, with 2.5D/3D integration, CoWoS, CPO, CoPoS, and SoW-X set to drive major gains in performance, bandwidth, and efficiency through the 2020s.
Nortech Systems Achieves Enhanced Fiber Optic Performance
09/16/2025 | Nortech SystemsNortech Systems Incorporated, a leading provider of design and manufacturing solutions for complex electromedical devices and electromechanical systems, announced significant advancements in its fiber optic capabilities.
Altair, Wichita State University’s NIAR Sign MoU to Accelerate Aerospace Innovation
09/16/2025 | AltairAltair, a global leader in computational intelligence, and Wichita State University’s (WSU) National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR), one of the world’s leading aerospace research institutions, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to advance innovation across the aerospace and defense industries.
India’s Aerospace and Defence Engineered for Power, Driven by Electronics
09/16/2025 | Gaurab Majumdar, Global Electronics AssociationWith a defence budget of $82.05 billion (2025–26) and a massive $223 billion earmarked for aerospace and defence spending over the next decade, India is rapidly positioning itself as a major player in the global defence and aerospace market.
I-Connect007 Launches Advanced Electronics Packaging Digest
09/15/2025 | I-Connect007I-Connect007 is pleased to announce the launch of Advanced Electronics Packaging Digest (AEPD), a new monthly digital newsletter dedicated to one of the most critical and rapidly evolving areas of electronics manufacturing: advanced packaging at the interconnect level.