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January 7, 2009
IWG Report 2007
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Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3)
| Country: | USA |
|---|---|
| Basing: | Land |
Details
Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) is a surface-to-air guided missile defense system that builds upon the existing Patriot air defense infrastructure (used most notably during the Persian Gulf War in 1991). The new fully operational PAC-3 provides advanced capability against enemy cruise missiles, aircraft, and unlike previous systems, tactical ballistic missiles.
PAC-3 production began in late 1999 under a $143 million contract to Lockheed Martin and subcontractors Raytheon and Boeing. The first batch of 16 missiles was delivered to the U.S. Army in September 2001. The Army was initially authorized to manufacture 72 missiles per year, but in 2003 Congress increased PAC-3 production to 96 missiles. The Army plans to build an inventory of 1,159 interceptors.
In March 2003, the Army deployed PAC-3 as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. During the war, Patriot interceptors engaged and eliminated two Iraqi missiles using hit-to-kill technology, meaning that the interceptors collided with the Iraqi missiles (like a bullet hitting a bullet), causing complete destruction. Despite its successes, the Army is still testing PAC-3 against larger and faster ballistic missiles.
The PAC-3 system consists of four main components: a radar, a command center, a launcher, and the interceptor missiles themselves. In a typical wartime scenario, the PAC-3 radar scans the skies with its overlapping beams, paying close attention to the horizon. Once a target has been detected, the radar immediately determines the speed, altitude, heading, and origin of the threat, and communicates this information via computer to the command center.
The command center, known as the Engagement Control Station (ECS), serves as the battle management, command, control, and communications center of PAC-3. Inside the ECS, the human operators view potential targets on the display screen, calculate fire missions, and send launch instructions to the mobile launchers. The operators play another important role: determining friend from foe.
The PAC-3 interceptor itself, 17.1 feet long and 10 inches in diameter, is an upgraded version of the Patriot Advanced Capability-2 (PAC-2). The main difference lies in the kill mechanism: while the PAC-2 uses an exploding warhead to eliminate its targets, the PAC-3 is a hit-to-kill system and destroys its targets by the kinetic energy released in a head-on collision. Another difference is that the PAC-3 interceptors, enhanced by the advanced radar and command center, are capable of protecting an area approximately seven times greater than the original Patriot system.
The PAC-3 interceptors are mounted on mobile launchers. Each launcher can hold up to 16 interceptors in its launch canister, which doubles as a shipping container. In a deployment scenario, the launchers are arranged to provide overlapping coverage, allowing PAC-3 to respond rapidly to attacks from all directions.
Once PAC-3 has launched, the ground radar provides detailed tracking information as the interceptor streaks toward its target. Meanwhile, the interceptor’s own active seeker searches for the enemy missile. Once the active seeker acquires the target, its computer uses the locations of both the target and the Patriot missile to calculate the proper trajectory for the interceptor.
As the interceptor closes in on the target, the active seeker recalculates the trajectory and makes adjustments to the interceptor’s speed and direction. At the point of impact, the PAC-3 achieves catastrophic destruction of the incoming warhead, including any nuclear, chemical, or biological agents. The system is capable of targeting and destroying multiple targets while evading countermeasures and decoys.
On March 4, 2004, two PAC-3 missiles tracked and destroyed a large target missile at the U.S. Army’s White Sands Missile Ranch in New Mexico. The method of using two PAC-3 missiles is known as “ripple firing.” The target missile, known as Patriot-As-A-Target (PAAT), had been modified to represent a short-range tactical ballistic missile and programmed to simulate the flight patterns of a Scud missile.
In February 2004, the Army awarded another production contract to Lockheed Martin worth $505 million for 159 PAC-3 missiles, including 22 missiles to replace those used in Iraq. Lockheed Martin will deliver the missiles by April 2006.
Sources
Army Technology.
The Boeing Company.
GlobalSecurity.org.
Liang, John. “Patriot PAC-3 Intercepts Target Missile in ‘Ripple Fire’ Test.” Inside Missile Defense, 17 March 2004.
Lockheed Martin Corporation.
“Lockheed Says Pac-3 Missile Test Successful.” Reuters News, 4 March 2004.
Missile Defense Agency, PAC-3 Description.
Missile Defense Agency, PAC-3 Press Release.
“PAC-3 Performs Intercept In White Sands Test.” Defense Daily, 5 March 2004.
Raytheon Company.
Sang-min, Joo. “U.S. To Deploy More Patriot Defense Missiles; Air Defense Brigade To Be Established To Control 8 Antimissile Batteries.” The Korea Herald, 1 May 2004.
“U.S. Army Order 100 PAC 3 Interceptors.” Forecast International Defense Intelligence Newsletters, 15 March 2004.
Lockheed Martin Delivers PAC-3s for Testing
Lockheed Martin recently delivered the first Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Stockpile Reliability Test (SRT) missiles to the U.S. Army, according to a press release. The delivery marked the beginning of Operations and Support phase of the PAC-3 program. During this phase, PAC-3 interceptor missiles are selected from the inventory and disassembled so that major components can be tested to ensure the missiles have maintained their combat readiness.
» Missile system details for: Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3)
Dinerman on Missile Defense Needs for 2006
Taylor Dinerman, writing for TheSpaceReview.com, contends that ballistic missile defense is necessary now more than ever, in light of the escalating world conflict with Iran. Dinerman points out that if the pronouncements of Iran’s leaders are any indication, they will be depending on their ballistic missiles to deliver the nuclear weapons they hope to build. If or when Iran decides to use such weapons, the first thing it would likely do is launch strikes against Israel and U.S. regional targets, perhaps followed by attacks on U.S. allies in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Although the U.S. maintains surveillance satellites are capable of locating part of Iran’s missile force, Dinerman stresses that “it takes active weapons to either destroy a missile on the ground or after it has taken off.” Yet “little has been said about the potential for missile defense to blunt [the Iranian threat], or to make it easier for the U.S. launch an attack.” If, as so many western statesmen say, Iran’s nuclear weapons program is unacceptable, “then doing something about it is going to involve more than just diplomacy.”
Dinerman recommends that the U.S. should redeploy its Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) interceptors that performed well against Iraq’s short-range Scud missiles during the 2003 war, positioning them to defend high value regional targets. The PAC-3 units should be joined by Aegis-equipped cruisers and destroyers armed with Standard Missile-2 and SM-3 interceptors. Both the PAC-3 and Aegis should be integrated with Israel’s Arrow system, which is operational and has proven itself in recent tests.
» More stories on: Analysis, Iran
» Missile system details for: Aegis Ship-Based BMD, Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3)
Turkey Considering American PAC-3 and Russian S-300 Systems
Turkey is considering the purchase of missile defense systems such as the American PAC-3 and the Russian S-300P, reports DefenseNews. Last October, Turkey’s civilian procurement office, the Savunma Sanayi Mustesarligi (SSM), took control of the country’s theater air defense program, and will soon seek a final go-ahead from Turkey’s top procurement panel, the Defense Industry Executive Committee. Defense News quotes SSM officials as stating that Ankara wants systems with anti-missile capabilities, for it does not expect any serious aircraft threat in the coming years. The two strongest candidates are the American Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3), the only tactical ballistic missile defense system with combat experience, and Russian S-300P, which has already been exported to a host of nations. Although Turkey has also considered purchasing the Israeli Arrow-2 system, Israel is said to be reluctant to transfer technology so important to its defensive deterrent.
» Missile system details for: Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3), S-300P (SA-10 Grumble)
Japan To Cover One Third of Cost
Japan will shoulder between one third and one half of the cost of building a joint missile defense shield with the U.S. According to officials inside Japan’s Defense Agency, Tokyo and Washington are still negotiating exactly how much each country will cover, although Japan expects to shoulder at least $1 billion of the estimated $3 billion total cost. A central element of the joint missile defense shield is the sea-based Standard Missile-3 interceptor, which will be deployed on Aegis destroyers to defend Japan from ballistic missile attack.
» More stories on: Allies, Japan
» Missile system details for: Aegis Ship-Based BMD, Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3)
PAC-3 Test Unsuccessful
A recent test of the Army’s Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile defense system against a short-range ballistic missile target was unsuccessful. The test took place on November 11 at White Sands Missile Range, in New Mexico. The PAC-3 has now had seventeen successful intercept tests and three unsuccessful intercepts.
» More stories on: Testing - American
» Missile system details for: Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3), White Sands Missile Range
Taiwan Legislature Committee Votes Down Patriot Purchases
The Taiwanese legislative defense committee voted to cancel the NT$10.9 billion budget which had been set aside for the purchase of three PAC-3 Patriot missile interceptors, and another NT$40 million for the purchase of 12 P-3C anti-submarine aircraft.
Taiwan Headlines notes:
In support of their decision to cancel the funding, opposition party lawmakers cited the results of the referendum held in tandem with the 2004 presidential elections that failed to garner the necessary majority required to validate the proposal. They went on to say that the government should respect the people’s choice as Taiwanese citizens to “veto the purchase of anti-missile weapons systems from the United States.” When approached to comment on the subject, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lee Wen-chung said that the upcoming joint committee meeting could still reverse the verdict… “[The lawmakers are] simply barbaric,” said Huang Shih-cho of the Taiwan Solidarity Union. His words were mirrored by Chet Yang, secretary of Taiwan North Society who said, “(The Taiwanese) cannot continue to live at the mercy of these so-called legislators.” Yang said that Beijing is constantly strengthening its military and estimated that, by year’s end, there may be one thousand missiles pointed toward Taiwan. He urged the public to support the purchase so Taiwan could protect itself…
» More stories on: China, Taiwan
» Missile system details for: Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3)
PACOM Head: Taiwan Should Upgrade Defenses
Admiral William Fallon, head of the U.S. Pacific Command, gave a speech urging Taiwan to upgrade its capabilities and to focus on defensive systems which could help deter an invasion, such as the sort of thing the island nation would face from China. Fallon named as important Taiwan’s upgrading of its Patriot anti-missile defense batteries, and the purchase of such weapons as mines to deter an amphibious assault by China. An excerpt from the Associated Press:
“As I take stock of the situation and have had an assessment of where we stand, it seems to me there are some things that would be much more useful than others in helping Taiwan better prepare its defenses,” Fallon said. Examples of steps Taiwan could take include upgrading the Patriot anti-missile systems it already has and buying airplane-mounted missiles that could shoot down invading aircraft, he said. Taiwan also could buy sea mines to protect the island’s beaches from an amphibious assault, he said. Fallon said he brought up the subject with Taiwanese military officials several months ago.
The sort of defensive weapons Fallon urged are less expensive than the eight diesel-electric submarines and four Kidd-class destroyers which have been offered and for which purchases have been delayed.
He noted Taiwan’s defense spending has been dropping as a percentage of its gross domestic product even as China spent heavily to modernize and upgrade its military. “If these trend lines continue, there is a clear gap and a potential to have a significant imbalance which might not be useful for long-term stability,” Fallon said.
» More stories on: Allies, Taiwan
» Missile system details for: Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3)
PAC-3 Interceptor Test Successful
The Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) interceptor system successfully destroyed a tactical ballistic missile during a flight test today at White Sands Missile Range, in New Mexico. The test was designated Task 2-2. As in previous tests, two Patriot missiles were “ripple-fired,” one after another, at an incoming Patriot-As-A-Target (an older Patriot missile modified to simulate a short-range missile). An additional PAC-3 test is scheduled for later this year.
From the press release:
The PAC-3 Missile Segment upgrade consists of the PAC-3 Missile, a highly agile hit-to-kill interceptor, the PAC-3 Missile canisters (in four packs), a Fire Solution Computer and an Enhanced Launcher Electronics System.
Army Colonel John Vaughn commented that this was a “variation of the current test, but we will be going after a slightly different threat.”
» More stories on: Testing - American
» Missile system details for: Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3), Patriot
Pakistan: Missiles Can Penetrate Proposed Indian Defenses
Pakistan has stated its confidence that its nuclear armed missiles could penetrate India’s proposed missile defenses. At a media conference on Monday, President Gen. Pervez Musharraf claimed that the Patriot has a kill-probability of around 40 percent, meaning that 60 percent of Pakistani missiles would pass through such defenses. He also described that the Patriot is a Cold War defense system with a response time appropriate for the long distance between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, not the short distance between Pakistan and India—a rather problematic statement. Musharraf would seem to be underestimating the capabilities of the PAC systems, and ignoring India’s stated plans to develop its own, distinct, defense systems.
» More stories on: India, Pakistan
» Missile system details for: Patriot Advanced Capability-2 (PAC-2), Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3)
Japan May Deploy PAC-3 in March 2006
Japan may begin deploying its Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) surface-to-air missiles as early as March 2006 to counter the current threat from nearby ballistic missiles, whether from North Korea or China. The original plan was to begin the deployment in late FY 2006-2007—ending in March 2007. The Japanese daily Yomiuri Shimbun, however, recently cited government sources indicating that Tokyo is considering a sooner deployment due to the increasing missile threat from North Korea and China. The report comes one day after the Japanese parliament approved legislation that would allow a swifter response to ballistic missile attacks.
» More stories on: Deployment, Japan
» Missile system details for: Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3)
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