The Patriot PAC-3 missile interceptor is equipped with a lethality booster with a warhead and dozens of titanium or steel fragments

Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile interceptors operate on a hit-to-kill basis. Formally, the technology is not

involves the use of explosives, andthe enemy missile is destroyed by kinetic energy when the interceptor collides with the target. However, the PAC-3 is actually equipped with a warhead, although few people mention this.

What is known

PAC-3 has a hybrid design.It includes what is called a lethality enhancer, which contains an explosive. This component creates a cloud of metal fragments, increasing the probability of hitting a target.


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This week Russia has dealt severalmassive strikes on the territory of Ukraine. Iskander ballistic missiles were fired at the city of Kyiv. On video from surveillance cameras and car recorders, the remnants of the PAC-3 could be seen falling onto the road. After that, the presence of an explosive in a missile interceptor became the subject of discussion.

Lethality enhancer is used in allPAC-3 anti-missiles since the first interceptors entered service with the US Army in 1995. They were developed under the Extended Range Interceptor (ERINT) program.

The PAC-3 proved to be much more compact than the PAC-1 andPAC-2. This is due precisely to the fact that it works on the principle of hit-to-kill. The technology enhances the missile interceptor's maneuverability, allowing it to be reduced in size by eliminating the need for additional warhead space.


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Regardless of type, all PAC-3s operate onone principle. The radar transmits a signal, after which the interceptor flies to a point near the target. The data link allows information to be updated in flight. After approaching the object, the active radar homing head turns on and fixes the threat.


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Lockheed Martin, which is the developerPAC-3, relied on the principle of hit-to-kill. The company said the technology is especially valuable when fighting missiles that carry nuclear, chemical, or other weapons of mass destruction payloads.


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The smaller size of the PAC-3 means that the launchthe installation can be loaded with more missile interceptors. It is also possible to use PAC-3 anti-missile missiles simultaneously with the older PAC-2 to increase the flexibility of the Ukrainian air defense system. It is possible that Ukraine, along with the PAC-3 Cost Reduction Initiative (CRI), also received the PAC-2, but so far there is no official information about the types of interceptors.


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When destroying targets that fly alongballistic trajectory PAC-3 works exclusively on the principle of hit-to-kill. Airplanes and cruise missiles do not fly as fast as ballistic missiles, so kinetic energy may not always be enough to completely destroy them. This is why the PAC-3 configuration included a “lethality enhancer” with a low fragmentation velocity. This was stated in a public review of the US Army, published in 1996.


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Lethality Enhancer increases the chancedefeating an air threat due to early detonation immediately before the collision. The metal fragments that are created during detonation are called "cycloids". In the first versions of the PAC-3 they were made of tungsten, but over time the developers decided to use steel.


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The first samples of the "lethality enhancer" contained24 cycloids weighing 95 g. The main explosive charge weighed approximately 330 g. For understanding, the M67 hand grenade uses approximately 184 g of explosive.

For almost 30 years, the “lethality enhancer”improved several times. The most modern version of the anti-missile missile for the MIM-104 Patriot is the PAC-3 MSE. All that is known about its “lethality enhancer” is that it contains titanium fragments instead of steel ones.


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The US Army tested titaniumPAC-3 MSE fragments against Composition B mixed explosive from July 2015 to June 2016. Tests took place in Maryland at the Aberdeen Proving Ground. The purpose of the test was to update a model that predicts when an explosive with titanium fragments inside the warhead will detonate.

The video below shows that the lethality enhancerstrong enough to cause the interceptor's front to separate from the rear. This explains why the tail section of the PAC-3 RCI fell onto the highway in Kyiv.

In conclusion, we add that the Armed ForcesUkraine received two MIM-104 Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems - one each from the United States and Germany. The Netherlands also handed over several launchers. Recently, the Prime Minister of Poland promised new supplies.

Patriot were able to significantly strengthen the systemair defense of the country. In a few weeks, the complexes were able to hit 7 of 7 Kh-47M2 Kinzhal hypersonic missiles and several 9M723 Iskander ballistic missiles.