World Tribune.com


Patriot missiles experience problems in three of four tests

Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Monday, June 3, 2002

The U.S. Army and Defense Department are examining the capabilities of the PAC-3 after a series of inconclusive tests.

The examination was launched after the PAC-3 again failed to achieve a complete success in its latest launch. The anti-missile system misfired during a test on Thursday at the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

Officials said the PAC-3 was meant to fire two interceptors toward an incoming two-stage modified Minuteman missile to determine the system's capability to achieve what officials termed "ripple-fire." During the test, one Patriot missile misfired and the other intercepted the enemy projectile.

"Preliminary indication indicates that a PAC-3 successfully intercepted the threat-representative ballistic missile target," the Pentagon's Ballistic Missile Defense Agency said. "While the PAC-3 intercepted the target, not all test objectives were met."

"The second PAC-3 missile failed to launch," the agency said. "Analysis of why the second missile failed to launch is ongoing."

The agency said the test was designed to demonstrate the PAC-3's ability to classify the high-velocity, low-radar signature target as a tactical ballistic missile. Another goal set for the test was to discriminate between the re-entry vehicle and accompanying debris.

Officials said the examination would take at least several weeks and seek to link previous PAC-3 failures. After a series of successes, the PAC-3 has had difficulty scoring interceptions in operational tests.

The system has undergone four operational tests. Three of the tests fell short of success.

On April 25, the PAC-3 and PAC-2 were tested against two targets; one interceptor failed to fire while a second intercepted but did not destroy its target. On March 21 one of two PAC-3 interceptors failed to fire during a test involving PAC-3 and PAC-2 interceptors and two targets.

Officials said the PAC-3 is expected to begin full-scale development in the fall. They said that unlike earlier models of the Patriot, the PAC-3 is meant to destroy missiles by colliding with their warhead.

Print this Article Print this Article Email this article Email this article Subscribe to this Feature Free Headline Alerts