Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC
Raytheon is to continue protesting over Lockheed Martin's choice as US partner in the international Medium Extended Air Defence System (MEADS), despite lacking the support of its German and Italian industrial partners. In the meantime, a test firing of the MEADS' hit-to-kill interceptor, the Lockheed Martin Vought Systems Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC3) missile, has been postponed because of target problems.
The US Department of Defense (DoD) is to skip a test of the Lockheed Martin Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system because of two successful intercepts since June. THAAD and MEADS will combine as a first and second tier missile defence system.
The NATO MEADS Management Agency recently rejected Raytheon's protest (Flight International, 18-24 August). Raytheon has requested international arbitration from the three MEADS nations, saying "our proposal should have resulted in our being selected as the MEADS prime contractor."
Raytheon acted without approval from Germany's DaimlerChrysler Aerospace (Dasa) and Italy's Alenia Marconi Systems, which are also teamed with winner Lockheed Martin. Manfred von Norbheim, president of Dasa's North American unit, says the European companies oppose Raytheon's move. "This was a matter of considerable disagreement between us and Raytheon."
Norbheim fears that further protest could hinder MEADS funding and the pace of research. Lockheed Martin and its partners have started project work, but future funding for the $12 billion programme is being held up as US lawmakers debate the need for MEADS. The team is to demonstrate a prototype system in 2002.
A second PAC-3 missile intercept test has been rescheduled to 10 September. The test was aborted on 19 August because of a problem with the Hera target. Fifteen other tests will involve PAC-3 intercepts of different classes of targets.
Another successful intercept is required before the DoD approves low rate initial production. The first intercept was on 15 March during a seeker test. PAC-3 will also replace current versions of the Patriot air defence weapon.
In the case of THAAD, the DoD's decision to cancel the latest trial reverses last year's decision to require Lockheed Martin to validate its design by achieving three intercepts following the failure of the first six tests.
Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) deputy director Maj Gen Peter Franklin says the "BMDO and the Army are confident THAAD has proven itself in the project definition/risk reduction phase and is ready to move to the next stage. The decision could accelerate the fielding of the THAAD system, currently scheduled for 2007".
Franklin says Lockheed Martin "has proven that it can make the design work...But at a cost. The contractor has focused on making this older hardware work instead of focusing on the ultimate goal of the engineering development of the ultimate system. We have confidence in the technical design. Rather than spending millions of dollars on another prototype intercept, we have decided to focus on the future system and its engineering development."
Franklin indicates that the DoD will waive a penalty fee contract provision imposed after the earlier failures.
Source: Flight International