The United States has resumed purchasing older-generation Patriot…
The United States has resumed purchasing older-generation Patriot PAC-2 GEM-T missiles for the first time in over 30 years, citing concerns about depleted stockpiles amid ongoing military operations against Iran. The procurement includes a major contract awarded to Raytheon for production of these missiles.
Consensus
- The U.S. has resumed purchasing PAC-2 GEM-T missiles after more than 30 years.
- The purchase involves the older generation of Patriot missile systems, specifically the PAC-2 GEM-T variant.
- Raytheon is the primary contractor for producing these missiles.
- The decision follows concerns about dwindling stockpiles of effective interceptors amid military operations involving Iran.
- The contract was awarded in the second quarter of 2026 and involves a significant financial value.
Points of divergence
- Pentagon has only purchased modern PAC-3 MSE interceptors since the 1990s, replenishing PAC-2 stocks through factory upgrades of existing missiles. — kommersant
- The contract includes orders worth over $5 billion for GEM-T missiles primarily from foreign customers, with a first domestic order in over 30 years. — vesti
Coverage (2 sources)
- USA buys previous-generation Patriots for the first time in 30 years — Коммерсантъ
- USA to purchase 30-year-old Patriot missile system modifications due to conflict with Iran — Вести