In the early 1960s, ARPA (Advanced Research Projects Agency) studied defense systems to destroy ballistic missile in their terminal flight phase under the ARPAT (ARPA Terminal) program. A development contract went to Raytheon, and flight tests related to ARPAT were conducted at White Sands Missile Range from 1962 to 1965.
The ARPAT design has been described as a carrier missile, which could launch several small dart-shaped independent interceptors at an altitude between 6000 and 30000 m (20000 and 100000 ft). Each dart would have its own rocket booster and target seeker. Initial test vehicles were to be three-stage rockets made up of a Castor first stage, a TX-261 second stage and a 29 in. spherical third stage. If actual test vehicles of this configuration were flown is unknown.
(Photo courtesy Andrey Lysenko)
First Firing: 1962