Boeing and War Department Sign Seven-Year Framework to Expand Production of PAC-3 Seeker
– Arsenal of Freedom effort triples production to ensure American dominance on the battlefield.
– The deal aligns with DOW’s procurement transformation strategy to strengthen the US industrial base.
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama, April 1, 2026 -Boeing [BA] and the U.S. Department of War (DOW) agreed to a seven-year framework to triple production of PAC-3® seekers to meet global demand for air and missile defense to protect service members, civilians, and critical infrastructure. The effort is a cornerstone of Freedom’s Arsenal, a national initiative to strengthen the defense industrial base and ensure a future of peace through strength.
Boeing-built seekers enable U.S. and allied PAC-3 interceptors to identify, track and defeat advanced threats ranging from hostile and hypersonic aircraft to ballistic and cruise missiles. The framework agreement allows for a massive increase in the supply of seekers needed to expand the protection provided by the world’s most advanced air defense system.
Boeing has invested more than $200 million starting in 2024 to expand PAC-3 seeker production capacity in Huntsville, Alabama, including a 35,000-square-foot facility expansion. The framework paves the way for additional cash-neutral Boeing investments across the production value stream, providing certainty to meet growing demand.
“Across the country and around the world, we are making significant investments in people and facilities to meet the evolving security needs of the United States and its allies,” said Steve Parker, president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. “The administration’s Acquisition Transformation Strategy enables industry to invest in and accelerate the delivery of complex systems at scale and strengthen the Department’s Freedom Arsenal. With this framework, we will be able to produce and deliver more advanced seekers and enhance our military’s advantage.”
Boeing’s Arsenal of Freedom investments focus on three key areas:
- Manufacturing modernization: The company has invested more than $200 million since 2024 to improve and expand its presence in Huntsville, including a new 35,000-square-foot facility.
- Workforce Development: This agreement allows Boeing to rapidly grow its highly skilled workforce, creating skilled, well-paying jobs and fostering innovation through local community partnerships.
- Strengthening the Supply Chain: This framework paves the way for additional, cash-neutral investments in Boeing across the production value stream. The company is committed to a Made in America approach, prioritizing partnerships with domestic suppliers, creating a safer, more resilient industrial base and providing certainty to meet growing demand.
Under the agreement, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, prime contractor for DOW and PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE), will immediately begin ramping up production and negotiate the award of a multi-year contract later this year.
“This agreement paves the way for us to rapidly scale to deliver increasingly sophisticated seekers,” said Bob Ciesla, vice president of Boeing Precision Engagement Systems. “In 2025, we increased deliveries by more than 30% and are excited by the opportunity to grow our highly skilled workforce and presence in Huntsville as we now triple production.”
Boeing, a leading global aerospace company and the largest U.S. exporter, develops, manufactures and services commercial aircraft, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. Our workforce and supplier base in the U.S. and around the world drive innovation, economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing is committed to fostering a culture based on our core values of safety, quality and integrity.
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