PATRIOT Advanced Capability-3

The U. S. is becoming increasingly concerned about the proliferation of ballistic missiles or the technology necessary to build this capability by many
nations of concern and terrorist organizations. The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) has been given the mission to design a system that will enable the U. S.
to protect the homeland, U. S. forces abroad and its allies.

To do this, MDA is developing a layered Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) that will combine
several programs into one system capable of destroying an enemy missile from shortly after launch to shortly before impact on the intended target. One of the
most mature elements of the BMDS is the PATRIOT Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3).

Now operational with the U.S. Army, PAC-3 is a land-based element building on the previous PATRIOT air and missile defense infrastructure. The design objective of the PATRIOT system is to provide a baseline system capable of being modified to cope with the evolving threat. This alternative minimizes technological risks and provides a means of enhancing system capability through planned upgrades of deployed systems.

On April 7, 2003, the Under Secretary of Defense transferred the PAC-3 program from MDA to the Army for production and further development. MDA remains responsible for the BMDS interoperability and integration efforts. As the best defense against tactical missiles, PAC-3 was deployed to Southwest Asia as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. During the deployment, the PAC-3 engaged several missiles.

Analysis of the system�s performance by the Army continues.


Mr. M

Lets hope it is more effective than the Gulf War I Patriot missile system.

Originally posted by confoundit
Lets hope it is more effective than the Gulf War I Patriot missile system.

israeli defence minister said it didnt do squat, and the patriot shot down more friendly aircraft then enemy

can i ask how the patriot system can target and fire at a seaking with it IFF on and yet wont fire at US aircraft?

"the PAC-3 engaged several missiles"

and a $35 million Tornado GR4 coming in to land!

Not all countries use Patriot Missile defence!

In UK the air defence will consist of a best in the world command and control system, controlling 20 rapier low level short range air defence systems and 600 vehicle/man hounted starstreak anti helicopter missiles! Is this going to stop a ballisic missile? i dun think so. Unless the British government plans to buy 2 air defenc e systems (whch they wont) we will be an easy target for any crazy country with a ballistic missile! The new destroyers can take down a ballistic missile, but not if they are in dock or in the pacific! The other option is to upgrade the rapier, which would involed changeing everything on rapier except the tyres. If this (impossible) option was chosen it still woldnt solve the problem of layered defence! Will the British government pay for fleet of 747 with lazer pointing out of the nose and ground based hit to kill missiles? No! If Britain (2nd or 3rd largest military budget in the world) cant afford it, how will others, and this is designed to defend its "allies" as well as itself!

I think some of use may be forgetting how difficult it is to get and ICBM and then launch it, it's not like they self-launch or anything, you need alot of infastructure to support it. The warheads though are a danger as they can be smuggled into the porous boaders of the world and used to blow up a city.

This is the link to StarChild's mentionings:
PATRIOT Advanced Capability-3.


seekerof