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Weapons System

Patriot Missile System

Missiles And Guided Munitions

The Patriot, formally designated MIM-104, is an American mobile surface-to-air missile system built principally by Raytheon, with Hughes and RCA contributing to its design, and it reached initial operational capability in 1984 after development beginning in 1969. The system pairs the AN/MPQ-53 phased array tracking radar with truck-mounted launchers and engagement control stations to intercept both aircraft and ballistic missiles, and it replaced the earlier Nike Hercules and MIM-23 Hawk systems in American service. Patriot batteries were first used in combat during the 1991 Gulf War against Iraqi Scud missiles, though their real-world effectiveness in that conflict remains debated among analysts, and the system later saw action in the 2003 Iraq War and the 2014 Gaza conflict. Since 2023 Patriot has defended Ukrainian airspace against Russian aircraft and missiles, credited with shooting down Su-34 and Su-35 fighters as well as Kinzhal ballistic missiles.

Facts
Weapon Class
Surface-to-air missile system 1
Introduced Year
1984 1
Classification
Service Status
Retired 1
Weapon Class
Weapon Class (category)
Guided Missile 1
Connections

Associated With

Gulf War, Wars

The Patriot missile system achieved its first widely publicized combat intercepts against Iraqi Scud missiles during the Gulf War

Operated By

United States Army, Armed Forces and Units
Source Wikipedia: Patriot Missile System

Used In

Gulf War, Wars
Source Wikipedia: Patriot Missile System
Iraq War, Wars
Source Wikipedia: Patriot Missile System
Russo-Ukrainian War, Wars
Source Wikipedia: Patriot Missile System
Syrian Civil War, Wars
Source Wikipedia: Patriot Missile System
In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Patriot Missile System
Wikipedia
  • Lead section, MIM-104 Patriot Wikipedia article
    is a mobile interceptor missile surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, the primary such system used by the United States Army and several allied states.
  • Lead section, MIM-104 Patriot Wikipedia article, 1984 system replacement
    In 1984, the Patriot system began to replace the Nike Hercules system as the U.S. Army's primary high to medium air defense (HIMAD) system
  • service status
    Patriot systems have been used since 2015 by the Saudi and Emirati air forces in the Yemeni Civil War, against Houthi missiles
  • Used In: Gulf War, Infobox, wars field
    Infobox wars field lists: Gulf War
  • Used In: Iraq War, Infobox, wars field
    Infobox wars field lists: Iraq War
  • Used In: Syrian Civil War, Infobox, wars field
    Infobox wars field lists: Syrian Civil War
  • Used In: Russo-Ukrainian War, Infobox, wars field
    Infobox wars field lists: Russo-Ukrainian War
  • Operated By: United States Army, Wikipedia article text
    The MIM-104 Patriot is a mobile interceptor missile surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, the primary such system used by the United States Army and several allied states.
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