Patriot
The MIM-104 Patriot is the U.S. Army’s primary air and missile defense system.
Initially designed as an antiaircraft system, Patriot gained attention in the 1991 Gulf War when it was used as an impromptu defense against Iraqi Scud missiles. Since then, Patriot and its related interceptors have been optimized for defense against tactical ballistic missiles, but remains capable against aerial threats such as aircraft and cruise missiles. Today, 13 countries operate Patriot. In addition to the launcher system displayed here, the Patriot system also includes radars, remote command and control units, and other support equipment.
Early Development
The idea for a mobile air defense system utilizing missile interceptors was first conceptualized in 1961 at the U.S. Army Missile Command and by 1965, the SAM-D development program had been established. The system was initially designed as an anti-aircraft, surface-to-air defense battery, but subsequent upgrades allow for defense against a wide array of air targets. Development test launches began five years later in 1970, with full-scale engineering development starting in 1976. The SAM-D program took the name Patriot during the U.S. Bicentennial in 1976.1 By 1985, the U.S. Army declared the Patriot fully operational.2
Components
The Patriot missile defense system consists of 4 major components: the launcher, configured with four interceptors per launcher for the PAC-1/2 and 16 interceptors per launcher for the PAC-3; the AN/MPQ-53 phased-array radar, designed to track enemy missiles or aircraft; the AN/MSQ-104 Engagement Control Station (ECS), the “man in the loop” for firing an interceptor; and the AN/MSQ-24, the 150 kW diesel powered generator units.3
https://missilethreat.csis.org/system/patriot/
