100 ballistic missiles destroyed by Patriot air defense 10405172

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Defense & Security Industry News - Raytheon
 
100 ballistic missiles around the world destroyed by Patriot air defense since January 2015.
Since January 1, 2015, Raytheon's Patriot integrated air and missile defense system has shot down more than 100 tactical ballistic missiles in combat operations around the world. More than 90 of those intercepts involved the low cost Raytheon-made Guidance Enhanced Missile family of interceptors.
     
Since January 1, 2015, Raytheon's Patriot integrated air and missile defense system has shot down more than 100 tactical ballistic missiles in combat operations around the world. More than 90 of those intercepts involved the low cost Raytheon-made Guidance Enhanced Missile family of interceptors.
Test launch of Patriot PAC-3 missile (Archive image Internet)
     
Patriot employs multiple interceptor missiles to destroy ballistic and cruise missiles, aircraft and drones. GEMs work by flying at extremely fast speeds to close with the threat and then detonating a blast-fragmentation warhead at precisely the right moment. "No single interceptor is a silver bullet," said Ralph Acaba, Raytheon vice president of Integrated Air and Missile Defense. "Using a mix of defensive missiles increases cost-effectiveness and gives commanders operational flexibility to choose the right interceptor at the right time."

The MIM-104 Patriot is a surface-to-air missile (SAM) system manufactured by the U.S. defense contractor Raytheon. The first production systems were delivered to the US Army in June 1982 and a follow-on test and evaluation programme was conducted in 1983.

The latest variant, the PAC-3 is one of the world’s most advanced, capable and powerful terminal air defense missile. It can defeat the entire threat of air targets including tactical ballistic missiles (TBMs), cruise missiles and aircraft.

The PAC-3 Missile is a high velocity interceptor that defeats incoming targets by direct, body-to-body impact. PAC-3 Missiles, when deployed in a Patriot battery, significantly increase the Patriot system’s firepower, since 16 PAC-3s load-out on a Patriot launcher, compared with four Patriot PAC-2 missiles.

The new PAC-3 missile has a maximum range of 40 km and can destroy air targets at an altitude of up to 20 km.

The Patriot air defense system is in service with 14 countries in the world including Germany, Greece, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Jordan, Netherlands, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates and United States.