Trump administration denies interceptor shortage led to pause in Iran war as Pentagon announces new contracts

Published July 27, 2026 1:45pm ET



The Pentagon announced an agreement with L3Harris on Monday morning to rapidly expand production of key components found within Patriot missile interceptors, as the administration disputed that reduced U.S. stockpiles are playing a role in the Iran war.

Under the new seven-year framework, which is still being finalized, L3Harris will nearly triple production of its two-pulse solid rocket motor and the Lethality Enhancer, which are components of the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement, or PAC-3 MSE.

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