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By (https://www.twz.com/authors/joseph-trevithick) Joseph Trevithick      Published  Oct 14, 2026 6:24 PM EDT     (the-days-of-army-air-defense-systems-firing-just-one-type-of-interceptor-are-ending.html#comments)    0           (https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=twz.com) Add TWZ (opens Google in a new window or tab)      More information Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results.        ()   US Army    The TWZ Newsletter Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.   (handle_newsletter_email_submission) (704ecc1ad8)  (/land/the-days-of-army-air-defense-systems-firing-just-one-type-of-interceptor-are-ending)  (TWZInline) (0) Email address  (Enter your email) (Please enter a valid email address)  Sign Up  Thank you!      (https://recurrent.io/terms-and-conditions/) Terms of Service and(https://recurrent.io/privacy-policy/) Privacy Policy        The U.S. Army now has (https://www.twz.com/land/one-of-these-missiles-is-set-to-be-the-armys-next-mid-tier-anti-air-interceptor) at least five named programs seeking (https://www.twz.com/land/army-widens-stinger-surface-to-air-missile-replacement-search) new anti-air interceptors of (https://www.twz.com/land/cheap-patriot-interceptor-costing-under-1-million-now-being-sought-by-army) various tiers to collectively address everything from (https://www.twz.com/land/pac-3-edge-will-be-the-most-capable-patriot-interceptor-ever) advanced hypersonic missiles to (https://www.twz.com/land/aerovironments-freedom-eagle-1-picked-as-new-counter-drone-interceptor-for-u-s-army) small weaponized drones . In the process, an important central theme is emerging: the service’s days of fielding air defense systems that can only use one type of interceptor look to be increasingly over. For the U.S. military, (https://www.twz.com/news-features/severity-of-americas-depleted-advanced-weapons-stockpiles-detailed-in-new-report) the impacts  from the (https://www.twz.com/land/army-downed-more-than-1400-iranian-missiles-and-drones-in-epic-fury-and-12-day-war) war with Iran have made clear that diversifying munitions stockpiles and supplier bases is no longer just valuable, it is critical. Army Lt. Gen. Frank Lozano, the service’s Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Fires, highlighted this growing trend yesterday during a panel discussion at the Association of the U.S. Army’s (AUSA) main annual convention, at whichTWZ has been in attendance. ()  Secretary Hegseth, second from the left, seen in front of a launcher for the Patriot surface-to-air missile system during a tour of Redstone Arsenal in Alabama earlier this year. Army Lt. Gen. Frank Lozano is seen at far right. DoW/USN Petty Officer 1st Class Alexander Kubitza   To provide some immediate context, with the exception of Patriot, the main ground-based air defense systems in Army inventory today are fielded with just one type of interceptor. In the case of Patriot, the service’s procurement of new interceptors had also been increasingly limited to just one type, the (https://www.twz.com/patriot-pac-3-hit-to-kill-interceptors-also-pack-a-little-known-explosive-warhead) PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE). Production of the preceding (https://www.twz.com/we-now-know-the-types-of-patriot-missiles-being-used-in-ukraine) PAC-3 Cost Reduction Initiative (CRI) missile ended in 2023. Just earlier this year, the Army placed its first order in decades for (https://www.twz.com/land/u-s-army-is-buying-older-pac-2-patriot-missiles-for-the-first-time-in-decades) new PAC-2 Guidance Enhanced Missile-Tactical (GEM-T) missiles , an older interceptor design for Patriot that has remained in production primarily for U.S. allies and partners.  ()  A graphic showing different interceptor load options for existing trailer-based Patriot launchers. Lockheed Martin   Separately, the Army is in the process of fielding (https://www.twz.com/army-eyes-supersonic-cruise-missile-interceptor-for-new-air-defense-system) Enduring Shield , a new middle-tier air defense system designed to handle multiple interceptor types. However, the service is (https://www.twz.com/air/army-seeking-aim-9x-sized-surface-to-air-missile-with-aim-120-like-range) currently only acquiring AIM-9X Sidewinders to load into them. We will come back to this later on. ()  An Enduring Shield launcher. USAF Pfc. Sang Woo Choi  “We have the capabilities we need to have to fight and win, but it’s our job to ensure that victory is achievable in the future inside of any dynamic environment scenario fight we might find ourselves in,” Lt. Gen. Lozano said yesterday. “So, it’s incumbent upon Mr. Ingraham [Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology Brent Ingraham] and I to continue to be creative and looking at, well, should we buy GEM-Ts because they’re being produced?” “GEM-Ts are a really good missile in the battlespace within they operate. I mean, they’re being employed today by air defense brigades around the world,” he continued. “So if we have the opportunity, it’s probably something we should take advantage of, and we’re looking at doing that. “We’ve had a lot of discussions about even more interceptors. From a PAC-3 MSE perspective, our goal has always been to get to 2,000 [per year],” he added. “Why we’re running programs like LCI [Low Cost Interceptor], and NGSRI [Next-Generation Short-Range Interceptor], and NGCM [Next-Generation C-UAS Missile], and Second Interceptor, is because I think the easy button answer is just buy more of a great missile. We’re going to buy more [PAC-3 MSEs], but when we start talking about overall missile output, we start looking at numbers like is it 4,000, is it 6,000, is it 8,000, we’re looking at a diverse set of capabilities.” The (https://www.twz.com/land/cheap-patriot-interceptor-costing-under-1-million-now-being-sought-by-army) LCI program is seeking a lower-cost and lower-tier interceptor for Patriot with a unit price of no more than $1 million. PAC-3 MSE’s average unit cost has been around $4 million in recent years.  ()  A PAC-3 MSE interceptor seen being launched. US military A Patriot launcher fires a newer PAC-3-series missile during a test. DoD   (https://www.twz.com/land/armys-stinger-surface-to-air-missile-replacement-makes-progress) NGSRI is the Army’s program to find a replacement for (https://www.twz.com/45131/the-fim-92-stinger-sam-may-finally-get-a-replacement) the venerable Stinger . The new missiles have to be compatible with existing vehicle-based and man-portable launchers. ()  A US Army soldier fires a Stinger from a man-portable launcher during training. US Army   The Army is working to field a new counter-drone interceptor through NGCM. Those missiles will be integrated into launchers the service has now for (https://www.twz.com/air/army-coyote-drone-hunting-drones-have-scored-170-combat-kills) the Coyote interceptor . (Raytheon Missiles & Defense proves counter-UAS effectiveness against enemy drones thumbnail)  Raytheon Missiles & Defense proves counter-UAS effectiveness against enemy drones       (Raytheon Missiles & Defense proves counter-UAS effectiveness against enemy drones)   The Second Interceptor effort is for Enduring Shield, which is also known as the Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2 (IFPC Inc 2). The main goal there is to provide (https://www.twz.com/army-eyes-supersonic-cruise-missile-interceptor-for-new-air-defense-system) increased capability against incoming cruise missiles compared to the AIM-9X.  There is also the Army’s (https://www.twz.com/land/pac-3-edge-will-be-the-most-capable-patriot-interceptor-ever) Future Interceptor effort , which also came up separately at the panel yesterday, and is also for Patriot. Unlike LCI, the aim here is to acquire a new interceptor with improved capabilities against hypersonic missiles and other upper-tier threats.  Historically, Army programs like these would eventually result in the selection of a single winning missile design. Lozano’s remarks yesterday point to the service increasingly taking a very different approach.  On “second interceptor, obviously, we just moved into phase two of that program. We’ve got Lockheed Martin competing with Boeing, who was teamed with Anduril,” Lozano said. “But we wanted to turn up the heat on that program. I constantly get frustrated when a funding profile emerges over the FYDP [the Future Years Defense Program], and then magically we lay in a five-year program.” ()  At left, a model of the Boeing/Anduril offering for the Second Interceptor effort. At right, a rendering of Lockheed Martin’s proposed Second Interceptor. Jamie Hunter/Lockheed Martin   “I’m like, no, I actually need that capability now,” he continued. “So, have we thought maybe what if we ran a 24-month program or a 36-month program, right? And so, in that vein, what we have decided to do is, while those two companies continue to compete, we’re going to create a shoot-off opportunity in [the] fourth quarter [of Fiscal Year 20]27, and I want to run an in-parallel, what I call an in-stride competition.” “We just held an industry day, and we basically just said, hey, if there’s any other company who didn’t make the first cut in the phase one, but, oh, by the way, who continued to invest in the IFPC Second Interceptor capability, we’d love for you to come out to the range,” he added. “We’ll give you range time, we’ll present targets, and we’ll allow you to recompete with an opportunity to get back into the program folder.” The Army is (https://www.twz.com/land/army-widens-stinger-surface-to-air-missile-replacement-search) doing the exact same thing with NGSRI , where Lockheed Martin and Raytheon have been competing face-to-face. That program is also now planning to hold a new shoot-off that will be open to other vendors in the fourth quarter of Fiscal Year 2027. ()  A picture showing a test of Lockheed Martin’s NGSRI entrant, called QuadStar.Lockheed Martin   ()  Raytheon, which is also the prime contractor for Stinger,  has previously released this image in relation to work on its NGSRI design. Raytheon   There are signs the Army is moving in a similar direction with NGCM, where it previously selected (https://www.twz.com/land/aerovironments-freedom-eagle-1-picked-as-new-counter-drone-interceptor-for-u-s-army) AeroVironment to supply its Freedom Eagle-1 (FE-1) interceptor . The service put out (https://insidedefense.com/insider/army-surveys-industry-inexpensive-small-drone-interceptor) a request for information seeking new NGCM options in August, with a goal of holding an initial evaluation again in the fourth quarter of Fiscal Year 2027. A deeper operational assessment could then follow in Fiscal Year 2028. (Freedom Eagle-1, the Next-Gen CUAS Missile thumbnail)  Freedom Eagle-1, the Next-Gen CUAS Missile       (Freedom Eagle-1, the Next-Gen CUAS Missile)   To reiterate, on top of all this, the Army is also now pursuing at least two new interceptor options for Patriot.  “We have to address the threat, and we need to address the threat in a complementary way, meaning we need to fight on a cost curve that’s affordable for the U.S. Army to maintain and sustain that warfighting capability abroad,” Lozano stressed yesterday. This gets to the crux of the matter. It is (https://www.twz.com/17257/usaf-wants-swarms-of-cheap-gray-wolf-cruise-missiles-that-can-overwhelm-enemy-defenses) not at all a new observation that just having a stockpile of any particular munition on day one of a conflict is not enough, especially if the fight becomes drawn out. There needs to be sufficient depth to those stocks at the start and the ability to readily replenish them in line with expenditures. The (https://www.twz.com/news-features/severity-of-americas-depleted-advanced-weapons-stockpiles-detailed-in-new-report) war with Iran , compounded by (https://www.twz.com/land/army-downed-more-than-1400-iranian-missiles-and-drones-in-epic-fury-and-12-day-war) other crises in the Middle East and (https://www.twz.com/air/conflicts-eating-into-critical-munitions-stockpiles-needed-for-china-fight-top-u-s-officer-in-pacific-warns) the ongoing conflict in Ukraine , has made clear that these core truths apply to all armed forces, even the U.S. military.  Lower-cost munitions are part of the solution, but they also need to be producible at scale on reasonable timelines. The lead time for higher-end munitions today is often measured in months, if not years. Furthermore,(https://www.twz.com/air/new-gbu-57-massive-ordnance-penetrator-parts-reverse-engineered-from-atacms-ballistic-missile-tech) being locked into a single vendor has been shown to not just be undesirable, but (https://www.twz.com/how-the-f-35s-lack-of-spare-parts-became-as-big-a-threat-as-enemy-missiles) a potential national security risk in an actual conflict. Lozano’s remarks yesterday, and how the Army is now pursuing new anti-air interceptors, reflect larger trends, not just in the acquisition of larger volumes of munitions overall, but also (https://www.twz.com/air/shaking-up-u-s-industrial-base-key-to-cheap-cruise-missile-program) from a broader array of total suppliers .  There has (https://www.twz.com/air/usaf-plans-to-buy-28000-low-cost-cruise-missiles-in-five-years-advance-with-new-deals) also been a push across the U.S. military to (https://www.twz.com/sea/10000-low-cost-cruise-missiles-in-three-years-procurement-plan-laid-out-by-pentagon) bring in new and non-traditional firms , including in partnership with established prime contractors. An example of this is the Boeing/Anduril team-up for Second Interceptor. This was also underscored by new framework agreements (https://www.twz.com/sea/10000-low-cost-cruise-missiles-in-three-years-procurement-plan-laid-out-by-pentagon) the Pentagon announced back in May regarding the planned purchase of thousands of lower-cost cruise missiles. The (https://x.com/DeptofWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) @DeptofWar has reached new framework agreements with a slate of disruptive new entrants to aggressively expand the United States military’s lethal cruise missile and hypersonic missile strike capabilities.Low-Cost Containerized Missiles (LCCM) Program:• Anduril•… (https://t.co/Fr2xAnBM7y) pic.twitter.com/Fr2xAnBM7y  — Department of War CTO (@DoWCTO) (https://x.com/DoWCTO/status/2054572571924861184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) May 13, 2026    With regard to the LCI program, specifically, Lozano highlighted an additional aspect of all of this yesterday. LCI has “a unique twist to it because we’re looking for companies who have all-up rounds, but I’m also asking for companies to come in at the component level,” he explained. “We typically don’t do that, right? There’s a lot of risk in managing components and generating all-up round systems. But we’re also looking for weapon system integrators, because I want to be able to create two or three teams who can compete with the all-up round guys to see if we can generate some momentum behind the fact that we need to thicken our inventory with low-cost, affordable munitions.” The U.S. Navy is now pursuing a roughly similar approach with its Naval Modular Missile (NMM) program. NMM envisions an entirely new family of sea-launched surface-to-air missiles that offer very different capabilities, but that all feature certain common components, as you can read more about (https://www.twz.com/sea/u-s-navy-is-seeking-a-submarine-launched-anti-air-missile) here . ()  A graphic laying out the Navy’s vision for the different members of the NMM family, and shared components between them. USN   The Army is also eyeing a new family of launcher vehicles, as well as (https://www.twz.com/land/mysterious-guided-rocket-launcher-disguised-in-a-shipping-container-at-fort-bragg-identified) containerized options , all capable of firing various types of surface-to-air and surface-to-surface munitions. Autonomy is also an important aspect of what is aptly dubbed (https://www.twz.com/air/autonomous-launchers-make-impact-as-army-requirements-grow) the Common Autonomous Multi-Domain Launcher (CAML) program . It is also important to note here that the underlying aim is not to eliminate more exquisite munitions, or the capabilities that they offer, but to create a more affordable, complementary mix of options.  “What I would say is we’re solely focused on delivering on the programs we are executing now,” Lozano said in closing at the end of the panel yesterday. “We have to deliver, and if we deliver on that wide variety of capability, then we can increase and ramp that capacity. And that would be my wish list, that we have enough resources and we achieve programmatic success in the way that we’re planning to, so we can deliver in mass.” All signs point to the diversity in munitions that Lozano is talking about here being particularly pronounced in future Army air defense capabilities full of systems firing multiple types of interceptors.  Contact the author: joe@twz.com  (https://www.twz.com/authors/joseph-trevithick) (Joseph Trevithick Avatar)   (https://www.twz.com/authors/joseph-trevithick) Joseph Trevithick   Deputy Editor    Joseph is  TWZ’s  Deputy Editor, helping to oversee the site’s highly experienced and dedicated team, while also writing informative and impactful defense and national security content. He lives right in the thick of it in the Washington, D.C. area.   (https://x.com/FranticGoat)     (https://bsky.app/profile/franticgoat.bsky.social)           (https://www.twz.com/category/news-features) News & Features         Loading comments…  Comments couldn’t be loaded. Please refresh the page.         Latest in U.S. Army (https://www.twz.com/news-features/army-explains-how-merops-interceptor-drone-became-program-of-record-in-just-142-days) (An interception drone of the American MEROPS counter drone system is seen during tests at the Nowa Deba military training ground, south-eastern Poland, on November 18, 2025.)     (https://www.twz.com/category/drones) Drones   (https://www.twz.com/news-features/army-explains-how-merops-interceptor-drone-became-program-of-record-in-just-142-days) Army Explains How Merops Interceptor Drone Became Program Of Record In Just 142 Days   The low-cost interceptor, rushed to NATO partners after drone incursions, is now an example of how the Army hopes to rapidly field emerging capabilities. By (https://www.twz.com/authors/thomas-newdick) Thomas Newdick        5:03 PM  October 14, 2026      (https://www.twz.com/air/high-altitude-balloons-are-a-game-changing-capability-army-space-command-boss) (The head of the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC) was initially skeptical about the utility of high-altitude balloons, but now sees them as a "game-changing" capability.)     (https://www.twz.com/category/airborne-sensors) Airborne Sensors   (https://www.twz.com/air/high-altitude-balloons-are-a-game-changing-capability-army-space-command-boss) High Altitude Balloons Are A “Game-Changing” Capability: Army Space Command Boss   The Army recently disclosed it rushed high-altitude balloons to support operations in the Middle East. By (https://www.twz.com/authors/joseph-trevithick) Joseph Trevithick        1:49 PM  October 14, 2026        ()    The TWZ Newsletter  Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.   (https://twz.beehiiv.com/) Sign Up  By signing up you agree to our(https://recurrent.io/terms-and-conditions/) Terms of Service and(https://recurrent.io/privacy-policy/) Privacy Policy.           More   (https://www.twz.com/land/new-patriot-interceptors-to-allow-for-over-the-shoulder-shots-at-passing-targets) (Ukraine, short on Patriot interceptors, can't down Russian ballistic missiles.)     (https://www.twz.com/category/mim-104-patriot) MIM-104 Patriot   (https://www.twz.com/land/new-patriot-interceptors-to-allow-for-over-the-shoulder-shots-at-passing-targets) New Patriot Interceptors To Allow For “Over-The-Shoulder” Shots At Passing Targets   By (https://www.twz.com/authors/joseph-trevithick) Joseph Trevithick           (https://www.twz.com/news-features/plans-for-new-interceptor-for-patriot-air-defense-system-axed-by-army) (U.S. President Donald Trump derided Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's offer to buy 10 Patriot air defense systems.)     (https://www.twz.com/category/mim-104-patriot) MIM-104 Patriot   (https://www.twz.com/news-features/plans-for-new-interceptor-for-patriot-air-defense-system-axed-by-army) New Patriot Missile Interceptor Axed By Army   By (https://www.twz.com/authors/joseph-trevithick) Joseph Trevithick           (https://www.twz.com/land/one-of-these-missiles-is-set-to-be-the-armys-next-mid-tier-anti-air-interceptor) (Lockheed Martin and a team made up of Boeing and Anduril are now facing off head-to-head to supply a new middle-tier surface-to-air missile to the U.S. Army.)     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(https://www.twz.com/category/mim-104-patriot) MIM-104 Patriot   (https://www.twz.com/land/cheap-patriot-interceptor-costing-under-1-million-now-being-sought-by-army) ‘Cheap’ Patriot Interceptor Costing Under $1 Million Now Being Sought By Army   By (https://www.twz.com/authors/joseph-trevithick) Joseph Trevithick           (https://www.twz.com/land/army-widens-stinger-surface-to-air-missile-replacement-search) (The U.S. Army is calling for new potential options for replacing the venerable Stinger short-range heat-seeking surface-to-air missile.)     (https://www.twz.com/category/fim-92-stinger) FIM-92 Stinger   (https://www.twz.com/land/army-widens-stinger-surface-to-air-missile-replacement-search) Army Widens Stinger Surface-To-Air Missile Replacement Search   By (https://www.twz.com/authors/joseph-trevithick) Joseph Trevithick           (https://www.twz.com/land/new-surface-to-air-missile-enters-army-mid-tier-air-defense-competition) (Lockheed Martin is among those to have gotten the go-ahead to move forward in a competition to design a second interceptor for the U.S. Army's middle-tier Enduring Shield air defense system.)     (https://www.twz.com/category/us-army) U.S. Army   (https://www.twz.com/land/new-surface-to-air-missile-enters-army-mid-tier-air-defense-competition) New Surface-To-Air Missile Enters Army Mid-Tier Air Defense Competition   By (https://www.twz.com/authors/joseph-trevithick) Joseph Trevithick ,  (https://www.twz.com/authors/howard-altman) Howard Altman           (https://www.twz.com/land/pac-3-adapted-capability-effector-is-lockheeds-new-low-cost-patriot-interceptor) (Lockheed Martin has unveiled the PAC-3 Adapted Capability Effector (ACE), a lower-cost interceptor for the Patriot surface-to-air missile system. By leveraging the existing PAC-3 fire-control architecture and Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS), the company says the new interceptor will cost less than half as much as the in-production PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) while providing a rapidly fielded, high-volume option for defeating aircraft, cruise missiles, and shorter-range ballistic missile threats.)     (https://www.twz.com/category/mim-104-patriot) MIM-104 Patriot   (https://www.twz.com/land/pac-3-adapted-capability-effector-is-lockheeds-new-low-cost-patriot-interceptor) PAC-3 Adapted Capability Effector Is Lockheed’s New Low-Cost Patriot Interceptor   By (https://www.twz.com/authors/thomas-newdick) Thomas Newdick ,  (https://www.twz.com/authors/tyler-rogoway) Tyler Rogoway           (https://www.twz.com/news-features/army-explains-how-merops-interceptor-drone-became-program-of-record-in-just-142-days) (An interception drone of the American MEROPS counter drone system is seen during tests at the Nowa Deba military training ground, south-eastern Poland, on November 18, 2025.)     (https://www.twz.com/category/drones) Drones   (https://www.twz.com/news-features/army-explains-how-merops-interceptor-drone-became-program-of-record-in-just-142-days) Army Explains How Merops Interceptor Drone Became Program Of Record In Just 142 Days   By (https://www.twz.com/authors/thomas-newdick) Thomas Newdick           (https://www.twz.com/category/land) SEE MORE         (https://www.twz.com/) ()    The TWZ Newsletter Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.   (handle_newsletter_email_submission) (704ecc1ad8)  (/land/the-days-of-army-air-defense-systems-firing-just-one-type-of-interceptor-are-ending)  (TWZInline) (0) Email address  (Enter your email) (Please enter a valid email address)  Sign Up  Thank you!      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