The Pentagon's ballistic missile defenses had mixed results in their first test, when Iraq fired its opening salvo of missiles against Kuwait.

Around midday local time on Mar. 20, Iraq fired several tactical ballistic missiles against coalition targets in Kuwait. Patriots managed to intercept all but one or two of the incoming missiles, according to U.S. military officials. One impacted near the Camp Commando complex where Marine ground forces, KC-130s and helicopters are stationed. The missiles were not carrying weapons of mass destruction warheads, one Marine said. Officials said one of the missiles may have been a proscribed Scud.

What could further strain the Pentagon's missile shield is a still-limited supply of Patriot PAC-3 systems the U.S. military has fielded to protect troops near Iraq. It was unclear late last week how many interceptors were fired at the three ballistic missiles.

Before the outbreak of hostilities, U.S. Army officials expressed a high degree of confidence they would be able to defeat any theater ballistic missile attack Baghdad might launch.

The Army has several Patriot batteries deployed to the Middle East, but there aren't enough of the newest PAC-3 interceptors or latest versions of the radar available to equip them all. Pentagon planners have therefore made a decision to deploy the latest missile defense tools with some of the batteries closest to Iraq and defending major military facilities. An air wing commander at one such base says he fully expects a ballistic missile attack.