The MIM-104 Patriot system is the primary air and mιssιle defense system of the United States Army. The system was originally designed as an anti-aircraft defense system, but newer Patriot variants are capable of intercepting ballistic and cruise missiles, nearby munitions, and aircraft. A typical Patriot battery includes a radar system, collision control station, power systems and other support facilities, as well as several launch stations. There are currently 18 countries operating Patriot.

Development process

The U.S. Army Mιssιle Command first developed the Patriot concept in 1961 as the Army Air Defense System for the 1970s (AADS-70s). In its original form the AADS-70s was a mobile air defense system that would replace the obsolete HAWK and Nike Hercules stationary artillery platforms. In October 1964, the U.S. Army renamed the program SAM-D (Surface-to-Air Mιssιle, Development) and in 1967, it selected a prime contractor for the effort. The first flight test of the SAM-D took place in November 1969.

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On January 10, 1974, the Department of Defense reoriented the SAM-D program to support a TVM (Track-Via-Mιssιle) guidance system and a more simplified operating concept. The modified SAM-D program entered technical development in February 1976 and on May 21, 1976 was renamed PATRIOT (Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept On Target). Patriot began production in September 1980. The Army activated its first Patriot mιssιle squadron in May 1982.

During the 1980s and 1990s, the US Army made a number of significant upgrades to the Patriot system. As Patriot entered full-scale production during 1985, the Department of Defense began efforts to add ballistic mιssιle defense capabilities to the system. In 1986, the Army upgraded the Patriot to the new Patriot Advanced Capability-1 (PAC-1) standard, a standard with software changes that would allow it to intercept tactical ballistic mιssιles. Following a successful interception of a Lance mιssιle in September 1986, PAC-1 was deployed in July 1988.

Following the deployment of PAC-1, the US Army immediately embarked on a second upgrade program, PAC-2, which entailed refinements to the mιssιle’s crew, warhead, and guidance for engaging more capable ballistic missiles such as the Soviet OTR-23. In 1994, the Army upgraded the Patriot to support remote launch capabilities, allowing launchers to be deployed up to 10 km away from radar. This is said to have increased the system’s defense area fivefold, from 10-20 square kilometers to approximately 50-100 square kilometers. Successive upgrades to the missiles and the system’s PAC-2 radar achieved further improvements in performance.

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The Patriot’s most significant upgrade, however, involves the development of a new interceptor mιssιle with Һit-to-kιll technology, which will defeat targets by direct collision. continue on them. This weapon was obviously later called PAC-3. The Army began developing the concept for a Һit-to-kιll weapon in 1983 and went into trial production in 1984. On May 21, 1987, the FLAGE (Flexible Lightweight Agile) mιssιle was launched. Guided Experiment) intercepted a Lance ballistic mιssιle.