Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!sdd.hp.com!think.com!mintaka!olivea!oliveb!veritas!amdcad!amdcad!military
From: scott@xcf.berkeley.edu
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Patriot
Message-ID: <1991Apr12.055424.14676@amd.com>
Date: 11 Apr 91 18:06:57 GMT
References: <1991Apr11.033353.4075@amd.com>
Sender: military@amd.com
Organization: UC Berkeley Experimental Computing Facility
Lines: 25
Approved: military@amd.com


From: scott@xcf.berkeley.edu


agates@mainz-emh2.army.mil (Allen Gates) writes:
> It has been ten years since I designed the canister/launcher production 
> facility for MM in Baltimore, but if I remember correctly the end covers 
> are removed at ignition by pressure built up within the container. Explode?
> I do know a launch does get your attention.

No, I am aware of the fairly explosive launch mechanism.  I mean EXPLODE.
There is one shot in particular that I remember where the first round goes
up with another closely following (common case).  However, about a few
hundred feet in the air, the follow-on missile detonated in a huge shower
of flame and sparks (looked very much like a Fourth of July display), while
the initial round continued to climb and impact on it's target.

There were a lot of other shots where one of the two missiles would flail
in a low tragectory and impact on the ground a few kilometers away.  These
shots were so common, I'm suprised nobody else seems to be aware of what
I'm referring to.

-- 
Scott Silvey
scott@xcf.berkeley.edu