Lockheed Martin [LMT] said recently it was awarded a $755 million firm-fixed-price Army contract for the procurement of Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missiles, which includes support for Foreign Military Sales, and related services.

“This is an annual contract, the 14th annual increment,” said Richard McDaniel, vice president of PAC-3 Missile programs in Lockheed Martin’s Missiles and Fire Control business.

Missiles placed on order under this contract will not come off the production line for about 18-20 months, he said.

Work on the contract has begun as Lockheed Martin places all long-lead material on order, and contracts with suppliers.

Looking at all the suppliers, from nuts and bolts up to advanced technologies, McDaniel said the number of suppliers for a single Patriot missile “approaches 5,000.”

The work will be done in Grand Prairie; Lufkin, Texas; Camden, Ark.; Chelmsford, Mass.; and Ocala, Fla.; with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2015.

McDaniel added, “We’re looking forward to the next increment (2014), which is when the Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) configuration is added.”