Scout:
The Army’s Patriot missile destroyed a mock-enemy theater ballistic missile target in a recent test-firing in order to demonstrate new guidance technology built into the weapon, Army officials said.
The Patriot Advanced Capability-3 is an advanced kinetic energy hit-to-kill interceptor surface-to-air missile designed to knock out incoming threats and protect ground forces, buildings and other assets. As a kinetic energy interceptor, the weapon relies upon the sheer force of impact to destroy approaching enemy attacks and does not need to use explosives – thus the “hit-to-kill” description.
The Patriot can be used for close-in threat approaching targets such as drones, cruise missiles and even enemy aircraft. At the same time, the missile can destroy longer-range theater ballistic missile targets as well, Army officials have explained.
In service since the early 80s, Patriot missiles have been upgraded several times, including a software improvement called Missile Segment Enhancement, or MSE. This latest test, which took place earlier in December, was engineered to asses an even newer target-tracking technology called Post Deployment Build, or PDB-8, service officials explained.
“PDB – 8 software is a major software build that provides improved capability against the evolving threat and is fully compatible with the IBCS (Integrated Battle Command System). The air and missile defense threat continues to progress and proliferate, and the Patriot system is continually evolving to deliver threat-paced capabilities in the current and persistently-changing threat environment,” Dan O’Boyle, spokesman for Program Executive Office, Missiles and Space, told Scout Warrior in a written statement.
During the recent test, at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., the Patriot used its Active Electronically Scanned Array to track data, detect and engage the target, an Army statement said. The system uses radar, sensors, guidance technology and an integrated fire control technology to track and destroy targets…
