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July 4, 2008
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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.
Successful Patriot Test
The latest live-fire test of the Patriot (PAC-3) interceptor was successful, taking place at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, according to a press release by Raytheon. The test did not include an intercept attempt of another missile, but was rather designed to test new software and other equipment. The exercise was the second in a series of tests to evaluate the new interceptor.
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Japanese Deployments
Jiji Press has reported that Japan deployed Patriot (PAC-3) missile defenses at the military base on the Ibarako prefecture, just north of Tokyo on Saturday. This marks the fourth and final deployment of Patriots aimed at protecting Tokyo from North Korea and China. The Japanese defense ministry has remarked that there is no "emergency significantly affecting the country's national security," but plans to further deploy the American developed PAC-3s at 11 Japanese bases by March 2011.
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Japan Plans Patriot PAC-3 Drills in Tokyo
On November 25, the Japanese Defense Ministry announced it will conduct Patriot (PAC-3) missile deployment exercises at about 10 locations in Tokyo to test how the capital could be defended from a ballistic missile attack. The exercises are meant to determine the best locations for Japan's Self Defense Forces (SDF) missile defense units, which would be activated and deployed in Tokyo in the event of an emergency.
Currently, the only deployed PAC-3 interceptors are 40 kilometers away from downtown Tokyo, at the Iruma Air Base. The interceptors' 15-20 kilometer range would therefore be insufficient to protect possible targets such as the Prime Minister's office, the Diet and the Imperial Palace. The government would rely on early warning technology to immediately deploy missile interceptors to the new sites in the Tokyo to protect the central part of the city.
Japan's layered missile defense systems involve a blend of sea-based assets including Aegis-equipped destroyers and ground based PAC-3 interceptors.
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First PAC-3 Missiles Delivered to the Netherlands
Lockheed Martin delivered the first Patriot (PAC-3) defensive interceptors to government and military representatives of The Netherlands. The Netherlands was the first international customer to buy the PAC-3 interceptor in 2005. "Today, The Netherlands is proud to be the first international launch customer for the PAC-3 Missile, just as it is proud to have been an international launch customer of the Patriot weapon system," said Major General Alexander Besselink, Director of Weapon Systems and Agencies for The Netherlands Defence Materiel Organisation. "With the introduction of full PAC-3 capabilities, the Netherlands is prepared for the future and, together with the United States, continues to be at the forefront of air defense." Currently, Germany, Japan, Israel, Kuwait, Taiwan, Greece, Saudi Arabia and Spain have deployed Patriot missiles.
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Israel Plans to Expand Defenses
Israel is preparing a new multi-layered missile defense system, reports the July 11 edition of Jane's Defence Weekly. The current backbone of Israel's missile defense is the Arrow terminal defense system. The Arrow-2, an upgrade of the original Arrow with U.S. assistance, continues under development, as is a new Arrow-3, which would have the capability to intercept missiles at a higher altitude and distance, enabling several interception attempts in case of a miss. In addition, the government may purchase the advanced PAC-3 theater missile defense system. To defend against short-range and smaller rockets from Hamas and Hezbollah, Israel is working on the "Iron Cap" system—a kinetic energy, all-weather interceptor capable of engaging multiple threats with a cheap radio-frequency seeker inside its radome. The Iron Cap could be deployed within 30 months and is also relatively cheap to produce at only one percent of the cost of a PAC-3 system.
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» Missile system details for: Arrow, Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3)
Successful PAC-3 Test at White Sands
The successfully conducted another intercept test of the Patriot (PAC-3) interceptor at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico on July 18. The test was against a low-flying, air-breathing target, which was intercepted and destroyed by a PAC-3 missile. The test demonstrated the system's capability to detect, track, engage and destroy a cruise missile-type target. "After a number of successful tests against Tactical Ballistic Missile threats, PAC-3 has once again demonstrated its ability to also defend against low-flying, air-breathing threats in an increasingly more challenging battlefield environment," said Richard McDaniel, PAC-3 Missile program director at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.
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Japan Orders 16 PAC-3 Missiles from U.S.
Japan has ordered sixteen Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) interceptor missiles from the U.S., reports the October 11 issue of Jane’s Defence Weekly. The Pentagon informed Congress of the planned $144 million deal on September 29. The main supplier would be defense contractor Lockheed Martin. The proposed deal follows a similar notification issued in September 2004 involving the sale to Japan of 20 PAC-3 missiles with associated equipment and services valued at up to $79 million.
» More stories on: Japan, Allies
» Missile system details for: Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3), Japanese Ballistic Missile Defense
Congressman Duncan Hunter Letter to President Calls for Immediate Programmatic Additions to Missile Defenses
Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, yesterday sent an important letter to President George Bush calling for immediate programmatic additions to U.S. missile defenses. Such systems, he stated, should be “capable of addressing the full range of North Korean missile-based threats to the United States, our deployed forces, and our allies.” First and foremost, the U.S. must “accelerate further the schedule for fielding Aegis ballistic missile defense capabilities,” either solely Standard Missile-3 interceptors or an appropriate combination of both SM-2 and SM-3 interceptors. Second, the U.S. must “maintain an optimal air defense capability on the peninsula” by deploying sufficient numbers of ground-based Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) systems. Third, the U.S. must “accelerate the deployment of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities,” focusing on Northeast Asia. Congressman Hunter offered to serve as an advocate in Congress for any reprogramming requests submitted by the White House to carry out these critical national security objectives.
The Congressman’s recommendations are similar to those put forth by the Independent Working Group in its recent report, Missile Defense, the Space Relationship, and the Twenty-First Century, which strongly advocates the expansion of sea-based missile defenses, as well as the strengthening of missile defense collaboration with vital allies such as Japan.
Full text of Duncan Hunter letter to President Bush:
» More stories on: Policy, North Korea, Japan
» Missile system details for: Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3), Aegis Ship-Based BMD
Taiwan Indicates PAC-3 Purchase
Ex-Premier Yu Shyi-kun, chairman of Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party, held talks with Bush administration officials yesterday and assured them that a much-delayed deal to purchase U.S. weapons would be approved by the new Taiwanese legislature. “I really have much greater confidence that during the next session when the [legislature] reconvenes [September 19], it will be passed,” Yu told a news conference after the White House meeting, quoted by the AFP. He did not give any details of the package, although Taiwan’s 2006 National Defense Report called for the purchase of six Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) air/missile defense systems, as well as eight conventional submarines and 12 P-3C submarine-hunting aircraft for a price of around 340 billion Taiwan dollars ($10.8 billion). In July, Beijing warned Washington not to proceed with the reported deal, indicating such weapons sales would impact regional security and harm U.S.-Chinese relations.
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» Missile system details for: Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3)
Lockheed Martin Reports Major Foreign Interest in PAC-3 Upgrades
Lockheed Martin is in “serious discussions” with Turkey and other customers over Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) upgrades, reports the September 6 issue of Jane’s Defence Weekly. According to John Ward, vice president of international business development for Lockheed’s Missiles and Fire Control Unit, concerns over Iran and North Korea may lead to new international orders for the PAC-3 and other missile defense systems. “Just about every region in the Middle East [and] Pac [Pacific] Rim has serious enquiries going on for the missile,” he said.
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» Missile system details for: Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3)
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