US finds a new use for old Patriots to counter China’s missile advancements

As it seeks new ways to turn the tide against China, the US Navy is moving to arm its warships with repurposed Patriot missiles

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A Lockheed Martin PAC-3 MSE model is displayed at an international military fair in Poland. Photo: Reuters

Published: 3:30pm, 2 Nov 2024Updated: 3:32pm, 2 Nov 2024

In the high-stakes arena of Pacific military power, the United States looks set to deploy cutting-edge Patriot missile systems on its naval vessels, responding to China’s rapidly expanding missile arsenal.

Reports suggest that the US Navy plans to equip its ships with Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (PAC-3 MSE) interceptors – originally a staple of the US Army’s defence arsenal – in acknowledgement of the evolving threats posed by Chinese hypersonic weapons.

Demand for these interceptors has gone “through the roof”, according to Tom Karako, a missile defence expert at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies think tank in Washington – though the exact number needed by the US Navy remains unclear.

Integrating the Lockheed Martin-made missiles into US warships’ air defences could be “a game changer”, Abdul Rahman Yaacob, a research fellow at the Lowy Institute’s Southeast Asia programme, told This Week in Asia.

This capability not only strengthens US defences but also provides strategic advantages for its allies in the face of Chinese actions, he said.

A Patriot Advanced Capability 3 Missile Segment Enhancement (PAC-3 MSE) interceptor. Photo: Lockheed Martin

The PAC-3 MSE interceptors will “reduce the effectiveness of China’s anti-access/area denial strategy” in the Taiwan Strait, Rahman explained, referring to a military concept that aims to restrict opposing forces from entering critical zones, such as the waters surrounding the self-ruled island.