June 28 (Reuters) - The U.S. Army awarded Lockheed

Martin ( LMT ) a multi-year contract worth $4.5 billion for its air

defense Patriot Missiles system, the Pentagon said on Friday.

The Patriot system is one of an array of sophisticated air

defense units supplied by the West to help Ukraine, as it

continues its defense against Russia's invasion.

The contract covers 870 PAC-3 MSE missiles and associated

hardware.

Lockheed is manufacturing the newest version of the

interceptors that arm the Patriot, known as PAC-3 MSE, which

cost about $4 million each, according to Army budget documents.