[sci.military] How much of a Scud is there to intercept?

jtchew@csa2.lbl.gov (JOSEPH T CHEW) (03/18/91)

From: jtchew@csa2.lbl.gov (JOSEPH T CHEW)
Columnist William Safire recently cast aspersions upon the "success"
of the Patriot at intercepting the Scud.  His contention is that the
Patriot often hit big pieces of Scud that had already done their duty, 
such as the fuel tank, without disrupting the warhead.  

This, IMHO, would be success in the Patriot's original antiaircraft 
mission; qualified success against a precisely aimed missile; and 
hollow victory against a coarsely aimed terror-weapon like the Scud.

Can anyone offer technical elaboration upon this? (BTW, Safire would 
probably welcome informed rebuttal as well, c/o the Washington Post.)

--Joe
"Just another personal opinion from the People's Republic of Berkeley"