General Motors Delivers Patriot Missile Parts to Lockheed Martin

The defense arm of General Motors, GM Defense, delivered its first shipment of Patriot PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement interceptor components to Lockheed Martin on September 17, 2026. The delivery, consisting of castings for the outer shell of the missiles, was completed just 22 days after the companies established their partnership on August 6. This turnaround significantly accelerates a production process that typically takes months or years.

The partnership follows an order by President Donald Trump, who invoked the War Powers Act to compel industrial firms and defense contractors to replenish U.S. ammunition and missile stocks. These inventories were depleted by the war with Iran and the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, where PAC-3 MSE interceptors are critical for countering Russian ballistic missile strikes.

To meet these demands, the United States Department of War has directed Lockheed Martin to triple annual Patriot production to over 2,000 missiles by 2030. In response, Lockheed Martin is investing between $8 billion and $9 billion to expand the production of PAC-3 MSE, THAAD, and Precision Strike Missiles across more than 20 U.S. facilities.