The Patriot Air and Missile Defense System is the
world's most advanced ground-based air defense system.
Patriot is a long-range, high-altitude, all-weather system
designed to defeat advanced threats, including aircraft, tactical
ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles. Combat proven during
Operation Desert Storm, Patriot can simultaneously engage multiple
targets under the most severe electronic countermeasure conditions.
Since Operation Desert Storm, the United States Department of
Defense has invested over $3.0 billion to further improve and
extend Patriot ground equipment performance.
Multifunction phased array radar, track-via-missile guidance,
and automated operations - including man-in-the-loop (human)
override - are the key features of the Patriot system. In addition
to the phased array radar, a Patriot Fire Unit is deployed with an
engagement control station, an electronic power plant vehicle, an
antenna mast group for communications, and up to sixteen remote
launching stations. Each launcher contains four ready-to-fire
Patriot missiles.
Patriot's lower-tier air defense against tactical ballistic
missiles is part of a two-tier U.S. defense against this escalating
threat. Internationally, the Netherlands, Germany, Japan, Israel,
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Taiwan, and Greece field the system.
|