Report: Japan to Get U.S. PAC-3 Missiles

[AnOhioan]

TOKYO (AP) - The United States plans to deploy Patriot Advanced Capability 3 missiles in southern Japan by the end of the year, a local newspaper reported Monday. The PAC-3 is designed to intercept and destroy incoming missiles and aircraft.

The U.S. government notified Japan earlier this month that it will deploy PAC-3 missiles at its Kadena Air Base or its ammunition storage area on the southern island of Okinawa, Japan's largest newspaper, Yomiuri Shimbun, reported.

The U.S. military also plans to deploy an additional 500-600 American troops to Okinawa, along with an expected three to four PAC-3 missiles batteries, Yomiuri said, quoting unidentified sources.

Growing concerns about a potential North Korean missile launch also prompted the United States to move up its planned test of missile-detecting radar in northern Japan to as early as Monday, Kyodo News agency reported.

More at http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-5911116,00.html

[still_one]

1. to bad they don't work as advertised

[ckramer]

2. Japan seems to be "Israel of Far East"

The PAC-3 probably won't prevent it from destruction by another nuclear war. It's like carrying a gun won't make you any safer.

[Rex]

3. 'The U.S. government notified Japan earlier this month'

No wonder they call us the 'America Empire' in Japan! So nice of us to notify Japan on what we plan to do on their soil, er our territory!

I wonder how many parts on the Patriot 3 were made in Japan?

[HuffleClaw]

4. patriots don't work. period.

and are built by:
Lockheed Martin
2004 Republican Contributions: $933,853
2004 Democrat Contributions: $598,977

and

Raytheon
2004 Republican Contributions: $520,725
2004 Democrat Contributions: $392,008


they know which palms to grease. and they will keep on doing so to push products that don't work (unless they are under carefully controlled conditions).

[jerry611]

5. US to deploy PAC-3 missiles in Japan

TOKYO - The United States plans to deploy Patriot Advanced Capability 3 missiles in southern Japan by the end of the year, a local newspaper reported Monday. The PAC-3 is designed to intercept and destroy incoming missiles and aircraft.

The report comes as the U.S. and Japan are deeply concerned about signs North Korea may be preparing for an imminent test-launch of a Taepodong-2 ballistic missile.

The U.S. government notified Japan earlier this month that it will deploy PAC-3 missiles at its Kadena Air Base or its ammunition storage area on the southern island of Okinawa, Japan's largest newspaper, Yomiuri Shimbun, reported.

The U.S. military also plans to deploy an additional 500-600 American troops to Okinawa, along with an expected three to four PAC-3 missiles batteries, Yomiuri said, quoting unidentified sources.

(more)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060626/ap_on_re_as/japan_us_missile_defense;_ylt=AsfnY1_rYP5PPzuW8BIQcROs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3b3JuZGZhBHNlYwM3MjE-

[daleo]

6. Have Patriots ever actually shot down a missile?

I recall that their record in Gulf War I was actually nil (or very low), but war propaganda told us otherwise.

[maine_raptor]

8. A couple took out the booster, IIRC, but the PAC-3 is interesting.

"Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) is a high/medium advanced surface-to-air guided missile air defense system. PAC-3 is a major upgrade to the Patriot system........In tandem with the upgraded radar and ground control station, PAC-3 interceptors can protect an area about seven times greater than the original Patriot system........The PAC-3 has a new interceptor missile with a different kill mechanism--rather than having an exploding warhead, it is a hit-to-kill system. The PAC-3 missile is a smaller and highly efficient missile."

As for "Will it Work?"...........(from the same article):

"Four PAC-3 operational tests between February 2002 and May 2002 resulted in three launch failures, two misses and one hit that failed to destroy the incoming warhead. A malfunctioning radar and software problems led to the misses, and the launch failures resulted from electrical problems."

"Initial reports of a successful intercept of a Patriot missile-as-target by a Pac-3 missile on 25 April 2002 since proved incorrect. A US Army statement said that subsequent analysis showed that the Pac-3 impacted the target missile but failed to destroy the warhead, so the intercept was unsuccessful. A second Pac-3 in the same test failed to launch. A PAC-3 missile successfully intercepted a target ballistic missile over Kwajalein Atoll on 30 May 2002. A second missile, however, failed to launch for unknown reasons. A failure to launch also occurred in the last test on 25 April. The target was a modified Minuteman missile with a separating reentry vehicle. This was the last test in the Initial Operational Test and Evaluation (IOT&E) program, prior to a Pentagon assessment of PAC-3’s readiness for full-rate production."

And finally:

"PATRIOT battalions with PAC-3 fire units were employed in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) against TBMs. In OIF, PAC-3 interceptors were ripple-fired against ballistic missile threats, a user requirement that was not demonstrated during operational testing. This eliminated the need for a follow-on test to demonstrate this capability. All PATRIOT engagements were conducted in a complex operational environment. There were three instances of erroneous engagements between PATRIOT batteries and friendly aircraft. System performance against TBMs appears to have been highly effective and consistent with expectations documented in DOT&E’s beyond low-rate initial production report submitted to Congress in October 2002. PATRIOT performance during OIF is detailed in the classified FY03 BMDS annual report.




Read More at: http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/systems/patriot-ac-3.htm



Oh yea, current cost is $4 million per missle, but they do hope to get it down to a paltry $2 mill per shortly.

Have a nice day.

[Sherman A1]

7. posturing

nothing more than that. If you really can't do anything, at least look like you are doing something and of course working with Lockheed builder of many things that don't work or we don't need (F22 Raptor).

[Vidar]

9. What was the Patiot's hit ratio 1/8 , 1/10?