Lockheed Martin Conducts Second Successful PAC-3 MSE Intercept Flight Test

Someoneforyou

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UNITED STATES - 2 MARCH 2011

DALLAS --- Lockheed Martin's enhanced version of the combat-proven PAC-3 Missile, the PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE), successfully intercepted a threat representative tactical ballistic missile target in the MSE battlespace today at White Sands Missile Range, N.M.

The PAC-3 MSE Missile provides increased performance, greater altitude and range than the PAC-3 Cost Reduction Initiative (CRI) Missile. The PAC-3 MSE Missile variant incorporates threat-driven and technology-enabled hardware and software upgrades to defend against the advancing threat set. The PAC-3 Missile is the only Patriot missile that utilizes hit-to-kill technology to engage incoming targets.

"We continue to test the PAC-3 MSE Missile at higher altitudes and against more challenging targets, and it continues to meet expectations," said Richard McDaniel, director of PAC-3 Missile Programs at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "We look forward to delivering this important enhanced capability to the warfighter in the near future."

The PAC-3 MSE Missile is packaged in a single canister that stacks to provide flexibility for the Patriot or Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) launcher load-out requirements. The PAC-3 MSE Missile was selected as the primary interceptor for the multi-national MEADS in September 2006. The MEADS program completed Critical Design Review in 2010 and is now integrating and testing the radars, launchers, tactical operation centers and reloaders needed for system tests at White Sands Missile Range in 2012.

Lockheed Martin achieved the first-ever hit-to-kill intercept in 1984 with the Homing Overlay Experiment, using force of impact alone to destroy a mock warhead outside of the Earth's atmosphere. Further development and testing produced today's PAC-3 Missile, which was selected in 1993 to become the first hit-to-kill interceptor produced by the U.S. Government.



Source: Lockheed Martin
 

Someoneforyou

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Orbital Successfully Launches Patriot Target Vehicle for Missile Defense Test
UNITED STATES - 2 MARCH 2011

(Dulles, VA 2 March 2011) – Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB) announced today that it successfully launched a Patriot Target Vehicle (PTV) under a direct contract with the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) Space Development and Test Directorate (SD). The PTV served as an intercept target for the Lower Tier Project Office Patriot missile defense system. The PTV was launched on March 2, 2011 from Fort Wingate Launch Complex-96 into White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) in New Mexico. It flew a southerly trajectory over New Mexico into WSMR and was intercepted by the Patriot Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptor system during reentry. This PTV, known as Juno, was the second of two targets Orbital is under contract to launch in support of the Patriot MSE test and evaluation program.

"We are very pleased to support the U.S. Air Force and the Lower Tier Projects Office with a second successful target launch, culminating in a positive intercept indication," said Mr. Ron Wiley, Senior Vice President of Suborbital Targets Programs at Orbital. "We look forward to supporting future tests for the Space Development and Test Directorate with the PTV, which has demonstrated its performance as a reliable test platform for future SD missions and Patriot engagements."

Orbital developed the PTV target vehicle over a two and a half year period according to specifications that require the vehicle to have selectable reentry dynamic performance. The PTV Juno rocket relied heavily on flight-proven designs from other Orbital launch vehicles, such as the Medium Range Target, Storm target and Pegasus space launch vehicles.

Orbital is one of the United States' most experienced developers and operators of missile defense-related launch vehicles. The company supports virtually all of the country's major missile defense programs with highly-reliable and cost-effective target vehicles. In addition to the Patriot program, Orbital's target vehicles are used to test Aegis BMD, MDA's Ground-based Midcourse Defense system (GMD) and THAAD systems. Orbital also produces the "Coyote" ramjet-powered sea-skimming supersonic naval target vehicle used to test the U.S. Navy's ship self-defense systems.



Source: Orbital Sciences Corporation
 

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