The U.S. Army wants a new class of low-cost interceptors that can defeat drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic threats without draining expensive Patriot missile stocks. A new request for information, published May 15 through the Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office at Redstone Arsenal, outlines one of the clearest cost-focused air defense efforts the service has pursued in years.

The initiative, designated MOSAIC-26-03, aims to field interceptor rounds costing less than $1 million each. The Army also capped individual subsystem costs at $250,000. Officials want mature technologies ready for demonstrations by the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2026.

The effort reflects growing concern over the economics of modern air defense. Recent conflicts, especially in Ukraine, exposed how quickly militaries can burn through premium interceptors during sustained missile and drone attacks.

Cost-driven air defense

The Army wants an interceptor that sits between counter-drone systems and high-end Patriot PAC-3 MSE missiles. The requirement calls for an endo-atmospheric interceptor with speeds above Mach 5 and ranges exceeding 120 miles.

The missile must engage drones, cruise missiles, aircraft, and short-range ballistic threats. It also needs in-flight target updates, terminal seeker guidance, and a blast-fragmentation warhead.

That warhead choice matters. Unlike hit-to-kill interceptors, blast-fragmentation designs use proximity fuzes and high-velocity fragments to destroy or disable targets. The approach lowers interceptor costs because the missile does not need a direct collision.

The Army appears willing to trade some terminal precision for affordability and larger inventory capacity. However, the missile still must survive electronic warfare, cluttered battlespace conditions, and dense attack raids.

The service published the requirement through five separate problem statements. Those tracks cover complete interceptor rounds, rocket motors, seekers, fire-control systems, and system integration.

That structure signals a major shift in procurement strategy. Instead of relying entirely on one prime contractor, the Army wants specialist suppliers competing across individual components.

Patriot integration focus

All proposed solutions must integrate with the M903 Patriot launch station and the Integrated Battle Command System, or IBCS. That requirement narrows the missile’s design space. Developers must match Patriot launcher dimensions, canister requirements, electrical interfaces, and launch sequencing standards.

The Army views compatibility as essential for rapid deployment. Existing Patriot batteries already support the M903 launcher configuration, reducing training and procurement costs. IBCS integration also plays a central role. The command-and-control network combines data from multiple sensors and launch systems into a common fire-control architecture.

That allows interceptors to launch before their onboard seeker fully acquires the target. The missile can then receive updates during flight before transitioning to terminal guidance.

Inventory pressure grows

The Army’s cost concerns stem partly from Patriot missile consumption rates. A June 2024 multiyear contract covering 870 PAC-3 MSE interceptors and related hardware totaled $4.5 billion. Army budget documents place the missile’s unit cost near $4 million.

At the same time, conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East strained interceptor inventories. Production increases alone cannot quickly rebuild stockpiles.

Army officials now want a cheaper interceptor that changes the cost equation in air defense operations. Current exchange ratios heavily favor attackers when forces use multimillion-dollar interceptors against low-cost drones.

The MOSAIC effort aims to reverse that imbalance while preserving compatibility with the Army’s broader layered air defense network.