Archie to SAM: A Short Operational History of Ground-Based Air ...

BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE IN THE 1990S
the PAC-2 system. 9 As the new missile was considerably
smaller than the previous Patriot missile, four could be fitted
into each Patriot tube, allowing each launcher to carry 16 instead
of four of the older missiles. ERINT also did considerably
better than the multimode seeker in simulated tests against
biological and chemical warheads. Its IOC was scheduled for
late 1998 or 1999. 10
The PAC-3 program encountered scheduling delays, cost overruns,
and technical challenges in the 1990s. By mid-1999, it
was two years behind schedule and 37 percent over budget.
This forced the Army to cut the buy by more than 50 percent,
resulting in cost escalation from $2 million to $4–$5 million
per missile. The PAC-3 achieved mixed testing results, although
most tests were successful. This encouraged the government
to authorize limited low-rate production and schedule IOC for
2001. A decision on full-rate production was scheduled for late
2002. Full deployment is not expected before 2005. The Army
intends to keep the weapon in inventory until 2025, with
planned upgrades of ground equipment. 11
Another system later upgraded to handle BMD is the Hawk.
By the 1990s, it was no longer in the Army inventory but was
in service with over 15 countries as well as with the Marine
Corps. The Marines lacked the Patriot and required a stopgap
TMD until they fielded the medium extended air defense system
(MEADS) in the 21st century. As early as 1988, the Hawk
demonstrated BMD capabilities against a simulated ballistic
missile target. The Army started efforts to modify it for the
TMD role and then passed it along to the Marines in 1992.
There were two principal modifications. The first extended
radar range to 400 nm and up to 500,000 feet, and the second
increased warhead size and used a new fuze. Another
development was to make the system interoperable with the
upgraded Patriot system, allowing the Hawk to share data
from the Patriot’s more sophisticated and capable electronics.
Cued by Patriot radar in May 1991, the system intercepted a
ballistic missile. In September 1994, the modified system,
called Improved Hawk II, downed two Lance ballistic missiles
(fig. 95). The Marines modified Hawks to this new standard by
1999. 12
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