What is the Patriot Air Defence Missile System?

About Patriot Air Defence System:

• The Patriot (MIM-104), which stands for Phased Array Tracking Radar for Intercept on Target, is an all-altitude, all-weather surface-to-air missile defense system to counter tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and advanced aircraft.
• It is the U.S. Army’s most advanced air defense system.
• It is a combat-proven air defence system operated by the USand a number of its allies, including Germany, Greece, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Poland, Sweden, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Romania, Spain, and Taiwan.
• The system was first used in combat during the 1991 Gulf War, with batteries protecting Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Israel, and later used during the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003.
• Features:
  • It is a mobile system that usually includes powerful radar, a control station, a power generator, launch stations, and other support vehicles.
  • It is equipped with a track-via-missile (TVM) guidance system. Midcourse correction commands are transmitted to the guidance system from the mobile engagement control centre.
  • Depending on the version in use, the interceptor missiles can reach an altitude of more than 24 kilometersand hit targets up to 160 kilometers away.
  • The system's radar has a range of over 150 km (93 miles).
  • The minimum flight time is less than nine seconds, while the maximum is three and a half minute

Q1: What is Iron Dome?

Iron Dome is Israel’s air missile defense system that can defend against short-range rockets, intercepting them in the air above the state. It is capable of successfully handling multiple rockets at a time. Developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries, the system became operational in March 2011.

Source: U.S., allies announce additional air defence systems for Ukraine