ELEMENTS
PATRIOT Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3)
The most mature hit-to-kill weapon system of the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS), the Patriot Weapon System using Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC)-3 missiles, is now operational and fielded by the U.S. Army.
Overview
- A land-based element built upon the proven Patriot air and missile defense infrastructure.
- PAC-3 is fielded with U.S. and FMS defense forces. It is currently deployed in multiple theaters around the world with daily operational activities.
- The Army is responsible for production and further development of the PAC-3. The Missile Defense Agency remains responsible for the BMDS and PAC-3 interoperability and integration efforts.
Contributions to the Ballistic Missile Defense System
- Provides simultaneous air and missile defense capabilities as the Lower Tier element in defense of U.S. deployed forces and allies.
- Works with THAAD to provide an integrated, overlapping defense against missile threats in the terminal phase of flight. Jointly, these systems engage the threat by forming a multi-tier theater defense against adversary missile threats using peer-to-peer engagement coordination, early warning track data, and battle management situational awareness.
- Contributes to the entire system’s situational awareness by transmitting precision cueing data to other theater elements while simultaneously protecting system assets against short-range ballistic missiles, large-caliber rockets, and air-breathing threats.
- For homeland defense, Patriot provides detection, track, and engagement of short-range ballistic missiles and cruise missiles. These engagements are further enhanced by networked remote sensors that supply early warning data to increase the probability of success.
- Patriot has added Upper-Tier Debris Mitigation capability to mitigate the excessive radar load and potential missile waste caused by debris from upper-tier intercepts.