Patriot systems begin to spring up around Europe - Army Technology (2024)

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Switzerland will join many other nations with its procurement of the sophisticated Patriot missile defence system.

John Hill March 29, 2023

Patriot systems begin to spring up around Europe - Army Technology (1)

The Patriot missile system is fast becoming the standard backbone for a country’s air defence system in an age of wide-ranging strike capabilities. The Swiss are the latest in a string of countries that have adopted the Patriot system in earnest.

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Patriot systems begin to spring up around Europe - Army Technology (4)

The US Department of Defense (DoD) has procured Patriot missile system fire units from Raytheon Missiles and Defence in a military foreign sale contract on behalf of the Swiss Government on 28 March. The production of Patriot missile systems is a costly process, with funds reaching $1.2bn. Work will be performed in Switzerland, Germany and several locations across the US, with a completion date of December 31, 2032.

The Patriot is in service with the US and allied countries including Germany, Greece, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Poland, Sweden, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Romania, Spain, and Taiwan.

Most recently, the Patriot has been seen as a crucial part of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ defiance against invading Russian forces. It was at the centre of debate in recent months as it was initially considered an escalatory action for the US to supply Ukraine with the Patriot, which serves to testify the effectiveness of the missile defence system.

The Patriot

Patriot (MIM-104) is a long-range, all-altitude, all-weather air defence system to counter tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and advanced aircraft. It is produced by Raytheon in Massachusetts and Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Florida.

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The missile has a range of 70km and a maximum altitude greater than 24km. The minimum flight time is less than nine seconds while the maximum is three and a half minutes.

It is telling that the DoD approved the possible sale of equipment and services worth $100m to help Taiwan maintain and improve the existing Patriot air defence system in February 2022 considering the threat against its autonomy from neighbouring China. Raytheon and Lockheed Martin were named prime contractors for this five-year programme.

Swiss adoption

According to GlobalData, Swiss spending on the Patriot system is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23.43% between 2022-25.

The combined expenditure of militaries that use the MIM-104F Patriot model alone is expected to grow from $1.18bn in 2023 to $2.14bn in 2033, at a steady CAGR of 1.32%.

As it stands, Europe’s Patriot users have hitherto been clustered around central and eastern Europe, namely Germany, Poland, Romania, and of course Ukraine. It is no coincidence that they cluster near the expanding Russian sphere of influence.

Switzerland’s adoption of the American missile defence system not only demonstrates the popularity of the system, but it could also mark a trend for the use of the Patriot across western Europe as the new adopter – a small and famously neutral country – arms their airspace to the teeth.

Strengthening continental airspace

Many European countries seek to preserve the rules-based order that the US leads to promulgate on the world stage. Part of many military strategies is to establish an interdependent and interoperable operations with their allies and partners as the geopolitical divide deepens.

This interdependent strategy calls upon a policy of commonality in military resources. The wider procurement of the American Patriot system is largely part of this as Europe looks to protect its skies from the encroaching Russian threat in Ukraine.

Original equipment manufacturer, Raytheon Missile and Defence, emphasise the need for more integrated “global interoperability. Countries with Patriot can –and do – train together.And if need be, they can operate together in combat”.

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Patriot systems begin to spring up around Europe - Army Technology (2024)

FAQs

Patriot systems begin to spring up around Europe - Army Technology? ›

Switzerland will join many other nations with its procurement of the sophisticated Patriot missile defence system

missile defence system
Missile defense systems are a type of missile defense intended to shield a country against incoming missiles, such as intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) or other ballistic missiles.
https://en.wikipedia.org › Missile_defense_systems_by_country
. Patriot missile defence system of the kind deployed by Nato allies.

What is the Patriot missile system in Europe? ›

The Patriot is a guided missile system that can target aircraft, cruise missiles and shorter-range ballistic missiles. Each battery consists of a truck-mounted launching system with eight launchers that can hold up to four missile interceptors each, a ground radar, a control station and a generator.

When was the Patriot system developed? ›

The revised SAM-D entered engineering development in February 1976 and on May 21, 1976, was renamed PATRIOT (Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept On Target). Patriot entered full-rate production in in September 1980. The Army activated its first Patriot missile battalion in May 1982.

Which country has the best defence system in the world? ›

List of Top 10 Strongest Militaries of the World 2024
RankNationPower Index
1United States0.0699
2Russia0.0702
3China0.0706
4India0.1023
6 more rows
Jun 21, 2024

How much does a Patriot battery cost? ›

The Zelenskiy government has appealed to several allies for more of the Patriot batteries, which cost about $1 billion each, and other air-defense systems.

How many Patriot batteries does the US have? ›

Who has Patriot missiles? After transferring one battalion to Ukraine, the U.S. Army has 15 Patriot battalions. A 2018 International Institute for Strategic Studies report found those pre-transfer battalions operated 50 batteries, which have more than 1,200 missile interceptors, The Associated Press reported.

How effective is the Patriot missile system? ›

But the system had never proved itself against a missile like the Kinzhal. Even so, the Patriot system blocked the incoming missile, defusing the weapon and several others, according to U.S. officials. Since then, the Patriot system has continued to successfully intercept a wide range of Russian weaponry.

What will replace the Patriot missile system? ›

The Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) is a ground-mobile air and missile defense system intended to replace the Patriot missile system through a NATO-managed development.

What was the Patriot missile system failure? ›

A report from the United States General Accounting Office begins ``On February 25, 1991, a Patriot missile defense system operating at Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, during Operation Desert Storm failed to track and intercept an incoming Scud. This Scud subsequently hit an Army barracks, killing 28 Americans".

Which country has most advanced Defence technology? ›

Dan T. The United States military is overall the most technologically advanced military in the world.

Which is the best anti-missile system in the world? ›

The S-400 Triumph, developed by Russia's Almaz Central Design Bureau, is the best air defense missile system. The S-400 is a multifunctional system with radar, detection, targeting and anti-aircraft missile capabilities, capable of attacking aircraft and cruise missiles up to a maximum altitude of 56 kilometers.

What country is number one in military power? ›

The United States represented 37.5% of the world's overall defense expenditure, having spent $916 billion during the year. This figure, which grew 2.3% from 2022, amounted to 68% of all NATO spending in 2023.

Who makes Patriot missiles? ›

Raytheon Company Missile Systems Division is the prime contractor for the PATRIOT system. The Martin Marietta Corporation is a principal subcontractor and assembles the missiles in Orlando, Florida.

How much silver is in a cruise missile? ›

Silver is used quite a bit for military applications. Many pundits have mentioned that cruise missiles may use up to 500 ounces of silver.

How many Patriot systems does Ukraine have? ›

Currently, Ukraine is known to be in possession of at least two Patriot missile defense systems. One system was previously donated by the U.S., and another was jointly provided by Germany and the Netherlands.

How many countries have the Patriot missile system? ›

The Patriot missile defense system is the foundation of integrated air and missile defense for 19 nations.

Is the iron dome the same as Patriot missiles? ›

The Iron Dome has been pitched to the IDF as a more cost-effective anti-aircraft system to intercept unmanned aerial vehicles. Some estimates of the cost of a Tamir interceptor are around $100,000, but it is still 95 percent cheaper than using a MIM-104 Patriot, the primary Israeli interceptor, costing $2–3 million.

What can the Patriot missile do for Ukraine? ›

Patriot systems can intercept both cruise and ballistic missiles and have a larger range, up to 100 miles, than the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile system which has a range of 80 miles and can shoot down cruise missiles and drones.

Does the US have missiles in Europe? ›

The United States has deployed nuclear weapons at NATO bases in Western Europe since the 1950s, when Cold War tensions were mounting with the Soviet Union. The weapons were first transferred to the United Kingdom in 1954, and later to Germany, Italy, France, Turkey, the Netherlands, Greece, and Belgium.

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