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Next-Gen Patriot Upgrade to Allow Interceptors to Fire After Missiles Pass Overhead
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The US Army is pursuing new Patriot interceptors and more vertical-launch options that would let Patriot batteries fire “over-the-shoulder” at targets that have already passed overhead, according to The War Zone on December 15.
Lt. Col. Steven Moebes said the Army is starting a new interceptor program this year and that digital simulations indicate it could enable “over-the-shoulder” Patriot shots—firing at targets after they pass overhead—The War Zone reported.
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Brig. Gen. Patrick Costello, who leads the Fires Center of Excellence at Fort Sill, said the limitation today is “a software problem” because “the software does not allow us to fire behind,” and he pointed to the Army’s planned Common Autonomous Multi-Domain Launcher (CAML) as a path to a more vertical launch profile.
The War Zone said Moebes did not identify the new interceptor program by name, but the report noted the Army has discussed reviving its Lower-Tier Future Interceptor (LTFI) effort after previously moving to cancel it, and cited Army budget documents putting the unit cost of a PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement interceptor at about $4.6 million.
Earlier, it was reported that the Pentagon approved a $105 million upgrade to modernize Ukraine’s Patriot M901 launchers to the more advanced M903 standard—enabling integration of the latest PAC‑3 and PAC‑3 MSE missiles to improve capability against current and future threats.
