The US Army and Lockheed Martin are planning further Patriot Advanced Capability-3(PAC-3) operational tests in around a year to validate fixes made to the missile defence system after recent test failures. The planned purchase of 72 missiles in fiscal year 2003 will continue despite the army postponing next month's full-rate production decision.
Lockheed Martin says all but one of the six PAC-3s fired during operational testing at the White Sands range in New Mexico worked. But the four sets of multiple firings that included PAC-2 Patriots were hindered by problems. "Eighty per cent of the issues had nothing to do with the missiles," says Mike Trotsky, Lockheed Martin vice-president air defence programmes.
Problems included the failure of a launch generator, a pre-launch test-software glitch and radar related issues. The missile that failed to function could not be launched due to a built-in-test error. Lockheed Martin says changes to the missile are not required, allowing production to proceed. But modifications are being made to ancillary equipment and non-tactical test equipment is being removed.
"We plan to demonstrate all the fixes in the summer and fall of next year," says Trotsky. The new operational tests include two sets of multiple simultaneous missile firings and a previously planned programme to demonstrate cost cuts and performance enhancements.
The initial round of operational tests followed 11 successful development tests, including nine against aircraft, tactical ballistic and cruise missiles, which Trotsky says were "scenario realistic and threat representative". They were certificated as such by the Directorate of Operational Test and Evaluation.
Planned production of 72 missiles in the next fiscal year will proceed as a continuation of three earlier low-rate initial production batches totalling 92 PAC-3s. Full rate is to begin in 2004, with the army requiring 2,200 missiles. After recent cancellation of the Raytheon Standard Missile (SM)2 Block IV navy area missile programme, PAC-3 production could rise to 3,000.
Boeing and Raytheon are to build a mobile X-band radar based on a floating platform to support testing of ground-based missile defence interceptors. The radar will permit the missile to be tested against target trajectories over the Pacific not previously possible. Boeing, which already operates the Sea Launch satellite service using a converted oil-rig, will provide the platform and Raytheon the radar.
Source: Flight International