Patriot
Mission
Provide defense of critical assets and maneuver forces belonging to the corps and to echelons above corps against aircraft, cruise missiles, and tactical ballistic missiles.
Entered Army Service
1985
Description and Specifications
The combat element of the PATRIOT (Phased Array Tracking Intercept of Target) missile system is the fire unit, which consists of a phased array radar set (RS), and engagement control station (ECS), an electric power plant, an antenna mast group (AMG), a communications relay group (CRG), and up to eight launching stations (LS).
The RS provides all tactical functions of airspace surveillance, target detection, identification, classification, and tracking, and missile guidance and engagement support. The ECS provides the human interface for command and control of operations. Each LS contains four ready-to-fire PAC-2, guidance enhanced missiles (GEM, GEM+) sealed in canisters that serve dual purposes as shipping containers and launch tubes.
The Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) upgrade program incorporates significant upgrades to the RS and ECS, and adds the new PAC-3 missile, which utilizes hit-to-kill technology for greater lethality against TBMs armed with weapons of mass destruction. Additionally, up to 16 PAC-3 missiles can be loaded per launcher, increasing firepower and missile defense capabilities.
Manufacturer
Raytheon (Bedford, MA); Lockheed Martin (Grand Prairie, TX)
