Some senior U.S. Defense Department officials want to accelerate production of the Patriot Advanced Capability 3 (PAC-3) missile interceptor, even though it has suffered test failures, the Washington Post reported today (see GSN, Aug. 22).

The PAC-3 performed poorly in flight tests conducted between February and May, the Post reported.  The interceptors failed to fire in some tests, and when they did, they had an almost equal hit-to-miss ratio (see GSN, Aug. 5).

Aides to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld have indicated, however, that they want to increase PAC-3 production without waiting for results of testing on recent fixes, according to the Post.  Because the Army only has 38 PAC-3s available, with another 15 planned for December, some Pentagon officials are concerned that the military might run out of the interceptors in the event of an attack on Iraq next year (see GSN, Sept. 19).

“Indeed, we are looking at ways to accelerate the production of PAC-3 out of concern for near-term vulnerability,” Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz said in a speech last week to the Frontiers of Freedom, a missile defense advocacy group.

There is some dissent within the Pentagon, according to the Post.  Defense officials in charge of testing new weapons systems have said that approving the accelerated production might reduce pressure to continue with planned improvements.

Officials have also questioned whether an increase in PAC-3 production would actually increase the number of interceptors available in the event of a war with Iraq next year.  It usually takes about a year and half to make an interceptor, industry and congressional sources said (Bradley Graham, Washington Post, Oct. 31).

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