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.
