Upgraded Patriot Missile Fails in Intercept Test

WASHINGTON â€”  A missile that the U.S. military hopes will be part of the Bush administration’s missile defense program failed to intercept its target during a test Saturday, the Army said.

The upgraded Patriot Advanced Capability 3, or PAC-3, missile, made by Lockheed Martin Corp., was supposed to intercept a cruise missile target in the test in New Mexico.

Two other older Raytheon Co. PAC-2 missiles also were launched as part of the test. The Army said one of the two missiles scored a successful hit, destroying an unmanned aircraft.

The “hit-to-kill� missiles, advanced versions of the Patriot anti-aircraft missile used against Iraqi Scud missiles in the 1991 Persian Gulf War, are designed to collide with their targets in flight at high speed.

But opponents of the anti-missile system have argued that technological problems could prevent the program from becoming a viable defense system for the United States.

The administration hopes the system eventually will shield American cities, as well as U.S. troops and overseas bases, from missile attacks.

Saturday’s test was designed to simultaneously shoot down a remote-controlled QF-4 Phantom fighter jet, a cruise missile and a smaller unmanned aircraft. This first operational test followed 11 successful developmental flight tests.

The next test has not yet been scheduled, but the military is hoping to complete the current round of four tests on the PAC-3 system by May.

The PAC-3 missile tested Saturday is designed to provide upgraded defenses against modern battlefield ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and aircraft.