PATRIOT Air and Missile Defense System

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Relevance: Russia warns Japan over providing Patriot air defence systems to Ukraine - The indian Express

The PATRIOT air and missile defense (AMD) system is an integral component of U.S. air and missile defense. The system and its interceptors are both expensive and limited in supply. On December 21, 2022, the Department of Defense (DOD) announced the United States would provide a PATRIOT battery to Ukraine as part of a larger $1.85 billion security assistance package. The provision of PATRIOT units now, and whether or not the United States may transfer additional PATRIOT units to Ukraine in the future, present issues that Congress will face in both its legislative and oversight roles.

What Is the PATRIOT System? 

PATRIOT (Figure 1) is an acronym for “Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept on Target.” 

The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Life Cycle Management Command (AMCOM) notes 

"The PATRIOT is the U.S. Army’s most advanced air defense system. Capable of defeating both high performance aircraft and tactical ballistic missiles, it is the only operational [U.S.] air defense system that can shoot down attacking missiles. A PATRIOT battery (the basic firing unit) consists of about 90 soldiers, but three soldiers in the engagement control station are the only personnel required to operate the battery in combat. Raytheon Technologies manufactures PATRIOT radar and ground systems, and Lockheed Martin manufactures the interceptor missiles."

How PATRIOT Functions 

PATRIOT battery components and how they function are summarized in a NATO Fact Sheet on Patriot Deployment: 

A PATRIOT battery has six major components: a power plant [two vehicle-mounted 150 kilo watt (KW) generators], radar set, engagement control station, launcher stations, antenna mast group, and interceptor missiles (PAC-2s and PAC-3s). 

- The Radar Set provides detection and tracking of targets as well as fire control. The phased array radar helps guide interceptors to their targets and is resistant to jamming. 

- The Engagement Control Station calculates trajectories for interceptors and controls the launching sequence. It communicates with the launcher stations and other PATRIOT batteries. It is the only manned station in a PATRIOT fire unit. 

- The Launcher Stations transport and protect the interceptor missiles and provide the platform for the physical launch of the missile. Each launcher station can accommodate four PAC-2 missiles or 16 PAC-3 missiles. 

- The Antenna Mast Group is the main communications backbone for the PATRIOT unit.

- The Interceptor Missiles: PAC-2 is a proximityfusing missile, which explodes near an incoming missile, PAC-3 has been specifically designed to intercept and destroy missiles by impacting them directly with kinetic energy- known as “hit to kill.” 

- Once the interceptor missile is launched, the phased array radar tracks it. As the interceptor approaches the target, its active seeker will steer it to the target. A PAC-2 interceptor will detonate near the threat missile whereas a PAC-3 will seek to impact the threat ballistic missile warhead.

PATRIOT Ranges and Coverage 

Official PATRIOT ranges and coverages are not available. Reportedly, the PATRIOT’s phase-arrayed radar system has a range in excess of 150 kilometers (km) and the capacity to track up to 100 targets, providing missile guidance data for up to nine missiles. The flight ceiling for PATRIOT interceptors is about 20 km and PATRIOT can provide area coverage and defense for about 15 to 20 km for incoming ballistic missiles. 

Other Nations with PATRIOT Systems 

The U.S. Army notes 16 other nations have PATRIOT systems, including a number of NATO members— Germany, Greece, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Poland, and Romania—and other non-NATO nations, such as Japan, Republic of Korea, Israel, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Taiwan, and Bahrain (sale approved by U.S. State Department in May 2019).

"PATRIOT Air and Missile Defense System for Ukraine", Congressional Research Service, USA

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