Inside Defense has the full text of the Defense Science Board’s Report of the Defense Science Board Task Force on Patriot System Performance (Not yet available from the DSB website).
The report focuses on three fratricide incidents—including the death of Lieutenant Nathan White of Abilene, Texas, which was the subject of some investigative reporting (also) by the Boston Globe.
The Defense Science Board Task Force found that the problem which led to the “friendly fire” incidents was “not exactly a surprise” and stated that it “remains puzzled as to why this deficiency never garners enough resolve and support to result in a robust fix.”
Here, here.
Inside Defense quotes Phil Coyle, former Director of Operational Testing and Evaluation at the Defense Department, as suggesting that IFF systems have “not been seen as an important defense acquisition program in the way that the big-ticket, high-visibility programs are.”
Late Update: ACW reader NS mentions that Nathan White’s father maintains a webpage with a copy of the accident report and other resources.
