WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Defense Department announced a partnership with Boeing on Wednesday to boost the capacity of seekers for the U.S. missile defense system.

The agreement is part of the Pentagon's plan to triple the production capacity of seekers used in the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement. Boeing produces the seekers that provide active measurement data for the PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement.

The Pentagon's deal with Boeing supports a separate agreement with Lockheed Martin to triple the output of the PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement. The Pentagon has an agreement with Lockheed Martin to triple the output of the interceptor.

Boeing's stock price increased in early Wednesday trading.