| http://spacedaily.com/news/020217211535.6h8kn7ih.html
Two PAC missiles fail to hit target in US land-based missile defense test WASHINGTON (AFP) Feb 17, 2002 The Pentagon's testing of its land-based missile defense system hit a snag after two Patriot Advanced Capabilityintercept missiles missed their targets, US Army officials said. The test of the Patriot missiles Saturday at the White Sands Missile Range in the western US state of New Mexico was designed by the army to simulate an actual battlefield scenario, with three targets and three missiles in the air at the same time. While one of the Raytheon-built PAC-2 missiles was successful in hitting a full-scale drone aircraft, the PAC-3 and a second PAC-2 both missed their targets, the Army said. The Lockheed-Martin produced PAC-3, designed to collide with its target in midair at high speed, failed to hit its cruise missile target. The PAC-3, a next generation Patriot missile, had, prior to Saturday's test, successfully completed a total of 11 development flight tests. Those included two controlled test flights, three cruise missile kills and one aircraft kill. The Army said an investigation into the cause of the intercept failures was underway. |
