(Los Angeles Times) Paul Richter - Despite an intensive development effort since 1991, the Patriot's ability to destroy all its targets is considered so unreliable that Pentagon planners are focusing their antimissile efforts on how best to find and destroy Saddam Hussein's mobile Scud launchers before the missiles are fired, according to U.S. and private analysts. During the Gulf War, Patriot interceptors were often striking only metal debris from disintegrating Scuds, not touching their warheads. After the war, a congressional study found that the Patriots had been effective against only four Scuds; one Israeli study contended the number was zero. Philip E. Coyle, the Pentagon's chief weapons tester from 1994 until 2001, said that based on recent tests of the latest version, the Patriot could be expected to bring down less than 50% of incoming Scuds.
2002-11-04 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive