Lockheed Martin’s PAC-3 Missile successfully destroyed a tactical ballistic missile (TBM) target today at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., in an Operational Test conducted by the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command. The test involved three incoming targets; two Patriot-As-A-Target TBMs and one MQM-107 drone.
A ripple launch of two PAC-3 Missiles successfully engaged the second TBM. Preliminary data indicate all test objectives were achieved. Three additional PAC-3 tests are scheduled for the second half of 2012, including flight tests that will demonstrate the Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) capability in both the Patriot and MEADS systems.
“The PAC-3 Missile continues to perform as expected under very stressing conditions,” said Richard McDaniel, vice president of PAC-3 Missile programs in Lockheed Martin’s Missiles and Fire Control business. “This was our third consecutive successful PAC-3 Missile flight test this year. With each successful test, the PAC-3 Missile adds to its legacy of proven performance.”
At present, the Patriot PAC-3 represent the main defenses US forces and several Persian Gulf states have against a potential Iranian missile attack, should hostilities erupt in the Persian Gulf region. The recent test series underlines this missile defense capability while assuring the way forward in the development of the Patriot as an air and missile defense system.
