- Yes
- No
History
The MIM-104 Patriot (Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept on Target), was the U.S. Army’s most capable and successful field air defense system. While there was some mistakes like failed Scud interception at Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, its value never went anywhere.
However, early Patriot missiles rely on blast-fragmentation warhead for ballistic missile interception. Because of this, it was essentially necessary to allocate two Patriots per ballistic missile for a reliable intercept. Of course, the PAC-2 had also intercepted dozens of Scud missiles, so it wasn’t exactly lacking in anti-ballistic capability, but the Army wanted a new Patriot that was more capable against ballistic missiles.
This led to the new version of patriot, the PAC-3, by the ERINT (Extended Range Interceptor) program. The ERINT program introduced the “hit-to-kill” concept for the Patriot, for higher kill probability. In the process, the missile was significantly reduced in size, to the point where it could fit up to four rounds in a single PAC-2 missile tube.
In 2002, the U.S. Army declared that the PAC-3 is combat ready. It soon deployed to the Iraq, and successfully intercepted Al-Samoud 2 and Ababil-100 tactical ballistic missiles along with PAC-2 GEM/GEM+ missiles.
Later the PAC-3 modified once more as the PAC-3 MSE, and remains the backbone of the U.S. Army’s field air defense system to this day.
Description
Since introduction of the multi-vehicle SAM system, the core elements of PAC-3 system now could be implemented in game.
It will consists of:
- Patriot Radar Set: M983A4 + AN/MPQ-65A or LTAMDS radar
- 2× Patriot Launching Station: M983A4 + M902/M903 launcher
Prime mover
The M983 HEMTT is used to mobilize AN/MPQ-65 radar and M902/M903 launcher.
Radar
PAC-3 uses AN/MPQ-65A radar. This is a PESA radar which operates in G and H band, and features more than 170 km of target detection range.
It could perform both search and track, but the radar antenna itself only covers 120(± 60) degrees, and it does not rotates continuously. Therefore, the remaining 240 degrees outside of the direction of the radar antenna will be a blind spot, and you’ll need to manually rotate the antenna to cover this.
Because of this, Raytheon offered GaN-based AESA version of MPQ-65 with two more arrays to provide full 360 degree coverage.
Later the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS), with same solution, selected by the U.S. Army to replace MPQ-65.
Launcher
(M903 launcher with eight CRI and four MSE missiles)
PAC-3 utilizes M902/M903 launcher.
The M902 launcher can accommodate sixteen PAC-3 CRI missiles. The M903 launcher is capable of both PAC-3 CRI and MSE, and also able to mix eight CRI and six MSE missiles.
Missile
Unlike the PAC-2, PAC-3 utilizes active radar homing with datalink. The missile has K-band seeker for terminal guidance.
PAC-3 has two major missile variants: CRI (Cost Reduction Initiative) and MSE (Missile Segment Enhancement).
The MSE is the latest version, and features superior performance compared to the CRI, but it is also larger and heavier, so the single M903 launcher can only load twelve PAC-3 MSE missile.
Both CRI and MSE is a hit-to-kill missile, which destroys target by kinetic energy. However to enhance kill probability against air-breathing target like aircraft, there is a Lethality Enhancer (LE). LE is an additional warhead with 330 grams of explosive charge and twenty-four steel fragments (95 grams each). It creates a concentric rings of fragments, expanding the missile’s area of impact.
So technically speaking, the PAC-3 does not have proximity fuze like other missiles; but it has the ability to shoot down targets without direct hit. In game, it shouldn’t be a problem to implement this as having proximity fuze.
Specifications
M983A4 Patriot Tractor:
Crew: 2
Length: 9.12 m
Width: 2.44 m
Height: 3 m
Track: 2.01 m
Wheelbase: 4.66 m
Curb weight: 16,228 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating:
- Normal: 29,030 kg
- With armor: 32,885 kg
Gross Combined Weight Rating: 49,442 kg
Engine: Caterpillar C15 (500 hp)
Transmission: Allison 4500 SP (5-speed automatic)
Transfer case: Oshkosh enhanced 55000 Series (2 speed)
Axle configuration: 8×8
Performances:
- Maximum speed: 100 km/h
- Cruising range: 483 km
- Fording: 1.22 m
AN/MPQ-65 radar:
Type: PESA/AESA radar
Dimensions (w/ M983 prime mover):
- Height: 3.61 m
- Width: 2.9 m
- Length: 17 m
- Weight: 35,485 kg
Band: G/H
Coverage: 120° or 360° (AESA version)
Antenna:
- Traverse: 360°
- Elevation: 67.5° (fixed)
Detection range: over 170 km
LTAMDS:
Type: AESA radar
Band: G/H (primary mission), E/F (surveillance, target acquisition), I (fire control)
Coverage: 360°
M903 launcher:
Dimensions (w/o M983 prime mover):
- Height: 3.5 m
- Width: 2.87 m
- Length: 10.26 m
- Weight:
- w/o missiles: 15,876 kg
- w/ 16 missiles: 24,291 kg
Traverse: ±110°
Elevation: ~38° (fixed for launch)
Missiles:
-
PAC-3 CRI:
- Length: 5.2 m
- Diameter: 255 mm
- Weight:
- Launch: 315 kg
- Burnout: 157 kg
- Warhead: Lethality Enhancer
- Fragment mass: 2.28 kg
- Explosive mass: 330 g
- Explosive type: LE-1
- Seeker: Pulse doppler radar
- Band: K
- Field of regard: 45°
- Guidance: ARH+IOG+DL
- Maximum speed: 1,700 m/s
-
PAC-3 MSE:
- Length: 5.3 m
- Diameter: 290mm
- Rocket motor: Dual pulse
- Warhead: Lethality Enhancer
- Fragment mass: 2.28 kg
- Explosive mass: 330 g
- Explosive type: LE-1
- Seeker: Pulse doppler radar
- Band: K
- Field of regard: 45°
- Guidance: ARH+IOG+DL
Sources
- PAC-3® MSE Overview
- PAC-3® MSE: World’s Most Advanced Air Defense Missile
- PAC-3®
- PAC-3: The Evolution of a System from Concept to Deployment
- FM 44-15-1 Operations and Training Patriot
- FM 3-01 U.S. Army Air and Missile Defense Operations
- HEMTT A4| M983A4 PATRIOT TRACTOR
- AIAA-92-2750 Subsystems for the Extended Range Interceptor (ERINT-1) Missile
- Extended Range Intercept Technology
- GhostEye® Family of Radars: LTAMDS | Raytheon
- Hypersonic Weapons-Part 1: Background and Vulnerability to Missile Defenses
- Fire Control Radars offered to the Polish Armed Forces in procurement of a Medium-Range Air and Missile defence system “Wisła” – development and potential of technology transfer
- AN/MPQ-53/65 Radar – Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance
- Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) – Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance
- Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile – Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance
- AN/MPQ-53 - Radartutorial