WASHINGTON, the U.S. (BulgarianMilitary.com), 7 August 2018, Editor: Stanislava Georgieva, Photo credit: BreakingDefence.com

According to a reprogramming request to shift fiscal 2018 funding, sent to Congress in June, the U.S. Army intends to purchase 100 of the newest variant of Patriot missiles. The purchase is possible thanks to the sale of old missiles to the United Arab Emirates, the proceeds from which will be used in this one, learned BulgarianMilitary.com.

The reprogramming document notes that the purchase of 100 PAC-3 MSE cost the U.S. Army 100 PAC-3 Patriot Guidance Enhanced Missile-Tactical missiles that were previously sold to UAE for $363 million in proceeds.

Read more: Sweden Will Acquire Raytheon’s Patriot Air and Missile Defence Systems

Read more: Poland Signed to Purchase Raytheon’s Patriot Missile System

Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement missiles reached its full-rate production by the U.S. army, so the service is trying to increase its annual capacity of the missile in means of increased stockpile on hand because the overseas operations eat up it, in particular from the current 2420 annual capacity to 350 in FY2020.

The technical specifications of the MSE version include a larger, dual-pulse, solid-fuel rocket motor as well as larger control fins that improve action against developing ballistic and cruise missiles and double the reach of the missile, as well.

Read more: Patriot PAC-3 MSE Air Defense Missile System Breaks The Distance Record

It is seen as one of the ways that Lockheed Martin will double its PAC-3 MSE production to 500 missiles annually in the following years, because the company manages to deliver the continuous missile orders not only to the U.S. Army but its allies such as Romania, Poland and Sweden. Only in the last three Lockheed would build 576 PAC-3 MSEs.

Previously, the service had planned to buy about 95 missiles per year during the fiscal period of 2018 to 2022, but that changed in a year later when the army increased the order for 2018, from 93 to 240 in order to be involved those that were bought with overseas contingency operations funds.

In FY19, the service again requested for 240 missiles and base orders for the missile in FY21 and FY22 totaling 160 each year, as well.

This reprogramming fiscal 2018 funding request must clear the House and Senate defense committees in order to be approved which is supposed to happen because both House and Senate appropriators are fully funding the production of 179 MSE missiles in FY19 in the base budget.

The intentions of the army to increase dramatically its PAC-3 MSE production meet unanimous Congress approval, though the final FY19 defense spending bill is not a law yet.

Read more: Romania is Preparing to Buy a US Missile Defense System for USD 3.9 Billion

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