US Army Orders First New PAC-2 Patriot Missiles in Over 30 Years

Raytheon has announced a new domestic order for PAC-2-series interceptors for the Patriot surface-to-air missile system — the first time the U.S. military has purchased new PAC-2s in more than three decades, according to the company.

The development comes amid persistent concerns about the sufficiency of American stockpiles of high-end anti-air interceptors and other critical munitions, with alarm bells ringing loudly due to the ongoing conflict with Iran. Global demand for Patriot systems and their interceptors remains at a high point, driven heavily by fighting in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine. Patriot has experienced a broader renaissance in recent years amid an evolving threat ecosystem, particularly from Russia and China.

Key Details from Raytheon's Earnings Call

Patriot was a major topic during Raytheon's quarterly earnings call this morning. Raytheon serves as the prime contractor for the Patriot system and the PAC-2 interceptor, while Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor for the separate PAC-3 family of interceptors.

Christopher Calio, President and CEO of Raytheon (now formally called RTX), reported:

"Raytheon booked nearly $20 billion of awards, resulting in a book-to-bill [ratio] in Q2 [second quarter of the 2026 fiscal year] of 2.4[%]. These bookings included over $5 billion of GEM-T Patriot effectors, driven by international customers, and our first domestic GEM-T production order in over 30 years."

The GEM-T Interceptor

GEM-T stands for Guidance Enhanced Missile-Tactical. It is the only version of the PAC-2 still in production today and has received various upgrades over the years.

While Calio did not elaborate on the domestic order, it appears to reference a $441.6 million contract the U.S. Army quietly awarded in April, said to be in support of Operation Epic Fury against Iran.

PAC-2 Lineage

• Baseline GEM (MIM-104D): Production began in the mid-1990s. Featured a new seeker for improved engagement against smaller targets or those with smaller radar cross-sections. Changes to the missile's fuze improved effectiveness against fast-moving ballistic missiles.
• GEM+ Configuration: Developed subsequently, offering better accuracy, performance, and reliability.
• MIM-104E: The U.S. Army sent stocks of baseline GEM and older PAC-2 interceptors back to Raytheon to be upgraded to GEM+ standard. Deliveries began in the early 2000s.
• GEM-T: Originally applied to MIM-104Es rebuilt from MIM-104Ds, further optimized against tactical ballistic missiles.

Unanswered Questions

It remains unclear whether the new U.S. order for GEM-T interceptors is entirely for American military use or includes purchases on behalf of allies and partners.

Patriot System Flexibility

GEM-T remains in active U.S. Army service and with other Patriot operators globally, even as newer PAC-3 interceptors have been introduced. Current-generation trailer-mounted Patriot launchers can be loaded with mixtures of PAC-2 and PAC-3-series missiles simultaneously, increasing flexibility against different threats. PAC-2 missiles are distinctly larger than PAC-3 types.

Congressional Scrutiny

The U.S. military had not placed any orders for new-production GEM-Ts in decades. Members of the House Armed Services Committee questioned this logic in June, in a report accompanying a draft of the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act.

The report stated:

"The committee supports the Army's continued investment in Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) to address the spectrum of current and future aerial threats and notes the ongoing efforts to address munitions production capacity within the domestic defense industrial base. The committee further notes that the Army's procurement of Patriot interceptors in recent budget requests has been for the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (PAC-3 MSE), and not for the PAC-2 Guided Enhanced Missile-Tactical (GEM-T)."