The US Department of Defense has announced an additional contract to manufacture interceptors for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system. It was awarded to Lockheed Martin.
According to the defense department, the value of the new deal is almost $2.1 billion. This is an additional order to the previously concluded contract worth $8.53 billion. Accordingly, its total value now exceeds $10.1 billion.
The US Department of Defense expects Lockheed Martin to produce the missiles by December 1, 2029. The work will be performed in four states: Texas, California, Alabama, and Arkansas.
Lockheed Martin describes THAAD as a highly effective means of defense against short-, medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles. The American system is designed to intercept targets in the Earth's atmosphere and beyond.
According to Lockheed Martin, as of May 2015, the company had delivered a total of 100 THAAD interceptors. In April 2019, this figure reached 400 units, and in September 2022, 700. The Lockheed Martin website also states that 7 THAAD batteries are currently in service and assigned to the US Army.
Recall, according to CNN, during the 12-day war between Israel and Iran in June 2025, the US lost about a quarter of its THAAD interceptors. According to the media source, the US used up to 150 missiles.