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Lockheed Martin has unveiled a cheaper Patriot interceptor designed to cost less than half what its current model does after years of criticism over the US and its allies burning through multimillion-dollar missiles to shoot down drones that cost a fraction as much.

Some shit you should know before you dig in: If you’re unaware, missiles used by the Patriot cost roughly $4 million each, which is a real problem when an Iranian Shahed drone costs roughly $35,000. This has become one of the defining problems of modern air defense, since an adversary can mass-produce cheap drones faster than anyone can afford to shoot them down. According to multiple reports, roughly a third of the Patriot stockpile is already gone, burned through on Iranian drones and missiles during the fighting with Iran, where the US and Gulf states fired more than 1,100 interceptors. Ukraine has faced the same squeeze from the other direction. Patriot batteries there have kept Russian missiles off Ukrainian cities, and Kyiv has spent months asking for more launchers and interceptors as Russia ramps up its strikes. To make matters worse, Lockheed Martin only produces 600 Patriot interceptors a year (with plans to triple production in the coming years).

What’s going on now: During an event in the UK on Monday, Lockheed introduced the PAC-3 Adapted Capability Effector, or ACE, saying it’s designed to counter drones, cruise missiles, and short-range ballistic missiles. The company says the first units could roll off the line within three years, and while Lockheed didn’t disclose the ACE’s actual price, it did say it would be roughly half that of the interceptors in service today.

Tim Cahill, president of Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, said, “American and allied warfighters need a solution that is battle-tested and budget-smart, and PAC-3 ACE delivers exactly that by building on the unrivaled performance of the PAC-3 MSE.”

This all comes as traditional defense contractors are feeling pressure from new defense startups like Anduril, which have proven they can develop weapons faster and cheaper than the legacy players.