March 3, 2011 :: Lockheed Martin :: News
An improved Patriot (PAC-3) interceptor was tested at the White Sands missile range in New Mexico yesterday. A "tactical ballistic missile target" was successfully engaged and destroyed by the Patriot interceptor. The update of the PAC-3 has a longer range and more altitude flexibility when compared to its previous iteration.
The upgraded PAC-3 was in the news for other reasons today, as it was announced that $800 million would be spent (through 2013) on the Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) now being developed in concert by the U.S., Italy, and Germany. The upgraded PAC-3, or the "PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement," would form the defensive backbone of MEADS. The program, not without its skeptics, has come under considerable pressure as a result of the recent budget negotiations and general Pentagon belt-tightening. If it weren't for serious collateral expenses that would accompany any premature de-funding or cancellation of the U.S.-European collaborative effort, there is a good chance Congress and the Defense Department would have killed it.
(Article)
» Coverage of MEADS Funding by Defense News
