In flight tests at White Sands Missile Range on Aug. 9, Lockheed Martin demonstrated new upgrades to its PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptor and continued reliability of its PAC-3 Cost Reduction Initiative (CRI) interceptor.

“Flight tests like these demonstrate how we continue to evolve PAC-3 to ensure we remain ready for the 21st century battlefield while also showcasing our record of reliability in the field,” said Brenda Davidson, vice president, PAC-3 Programs. “The warfighter needs to know that the PAC-3 missiles protecting them are going to work, every time.”

During the tests, a PAC-3 MSE succesfullly intercepted a tactical ballistic missile target, validating missile and laucher software and hardware component upgrades. The upgrades, which enable future performance of the PAC-3 MSE interceptor to keep pace against expanding threats of today and tomorrow, will be incorporated into production over the next year.

Separately, two PAC-3 CRI missiles each successfully intercepted a tactical ballistic missile target in support of the U.S. Army’s Field Surveillance Program (FSP) that confirms the reliability and readiness of fielded PAC-3 missiles. The tests marked the 17th and 18th successful PAC-3 CRI FSP intercepts, reconfirming the missile’s ability to detect, track and intercept threats while meeting fielded reliability requirements. The first PAC-3 MSE FSP flight test is scheduled to take place later this year.

Both U.S. Army-led flight tests demonstrated the unique capability of the PAC-3 family of missiles, the only combat proven Hit-to-Kill interceptors that defend against incoming threats, including tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and aircraft. PAC-3 missiles defend against incoming threats through direct body-to-body contact, delivering exponentially more kinetic energy on the target than can be achieved with blast-fragmentation kill mechanisms.

Fourteen nations have chosen PAC-3 CRI and PAC-3 MSE to provide missile defense capabilities.

Lockheed Martin release