US defence contractor Lockheed Martin has unveiled PAC-3 Edge, a missile interceptor designed to counter hypersonic weapons and other advanced aerial threats.

Axar.az reports, citing Reuters, that the system features a new seeker, upgraded flight controls and a multi-pulse rocket motor supplied by Northrop Grumman, enabling it to intercept advanced threats at greater ranges and higher altitudes.

The announcement comes as growing demand for air and missile defence systems amid conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East puts pressure on US weapons stockpiles.

In July, the US Army awarded Lockheed Martin a contract worth up to $58.6 billion to expand production of its PAC-3 interceptors.

Tim Cahill, president of Lockheed Martin’s Missiles and Fire Control division, said PAC-3 Edge would cost approximately the same as the existing PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptor.

He added that annual production could reach around 2,000 units at full capacity, comparable to the planned output of the PAC-3 MSE.

In January, Lockheed Martin signed a seven-year framework agreement with the US Department of Defense to expand annual PAC-3 interceptor production capacity from approximately 600 to 2,000 units.

Testing of the missile is scheduled to begin in 2027, with the system expected to enter military service in 2031.