US clears sale of latest Patriot missile(PAC-3) system to India
US clears sale of latest Patriot missile system to India
Wednesday June 15 2005 00:00 IST NEW DELHI: Signalling that it's ready for intensifying defence ties with New Delhi, Washington has cleared the sale of the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) anti-missile defence system to India on the eve of Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee's visit to the US this month.
Government sources said that the possible sale offer has been conveyed through diplomatic channels to the highest levels including the Defence Ministry.
Though New Delhi has just been informed of the offer, Washington has given a green signal to the PAC-3 manufacturers, Lockheed Martin, to give a technical presentation to India on the state-of-the-art anti-missile defence system.
The PAC-3 system is a big step beyond Washington's earlier offer for sale of PAC-2. In February this year, a US team, headed by Edward Ross from the Defence Security Cooperation Agency, had briefed South Block on technical details of PAC-2.
Unlike previous Patriots, which operate by getting close to targets and blasting them out of the sky, PAC-3 interceptors have no explosives, relying instead on kinetic energy (hit to kill concept) to eliminate short and medium-range missiles carrying nuclear, biological or chemical warheads.
Wednesday June 15 2005 00:00 IST NEW DELHI: Signalling that it's ready for intensifying defence ties with New Delhi, Washington has cleared the sale of the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) anti-missile defence system to India on the eve of Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee's visit to the US this month.
Government sources said that the possible sale offer has been conveyed through diplomatic channels to the highest levels including the Defence Ministry.
Though New Delhi has just been informed of the offer, Washington has given a green signal to the PAC-3 manufacturers, Lockheed Martin, to give a technical presentation to India on the state-of-the-art anti-missile defence system.
The PAC-3 system is a big step beyond Washington's earlier offer for sale of PAC-2. In February this year, a US team, headed by Edward Ross from the Defence Security Cooperation Agency, had briefed South Block on technical details of PAC-2.
Unlike previous Patriots, which operate by getting close to targets and blasting them out of the sky, PAC-3 interceptors have no explosives, relying instead on kinetic energy (hit to kill concept) to eliminate short and medium-range missiles carrying nuclear, biological or chemical warheads.
posted by India News Watch at 12:10 PM
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