MIM-104F Patriot PAC-3 Missile | Info, Budget/Costs, Specs

About the PAC-3:

The U.S. Army's Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC-3) missile, developed and produced by Lockheed Martin, is the latest improvement to the Patriot air and missile defense system. The Patriot is the only combat-proven system capable of defeating tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and aircraft worldwide.

The PAC-3 missile is the world's most advanced, capable and powerful terminal air defense missile. The missile is a high velocity interceptor that defeats incoming targets by direct impact. When deployed in a Patriot battery, PAC-3 missiles significantly increase the missile system's firepower, since 16 PAC-3s load-out on a Patriot launcher compared to just four Patriot PAC-2 missiles. The PAC-3 Missile is equipped with a solid propellant rocket motor from Aerojet; 180 small attitude control motors (from Aerojet); a Boeing Ka band millimeter wave active radar seeker; aerodynamic controls; and an inertial guidance system (INS) to navigate.

The PAC-3 consists of the PAC-3 missile, the PAC-3 missile canisters (in four packs), a fire solution computer and an Enhanced Launcher Electronics System (ELES). These elements are integrated into the Patriot Missile System, a high to medium altitude, long-range air defense missile system providing air defense of ground combat forces and high-value assets. The heart of the Patriot Missile System is the fire control section, which consists of the AN/MPQ-65 Radar Set, the AN/MSQ-104 Engagement Control Station (ECS), the OE-349 Antenna Mast Group (AMG), and the EPP-III Electric Power Plant. The missiles are transported by and launched from the M901 Launching Station (mounted on M860 semi-trailers and towed by the M983 HEMTT Patriot Tractor), which carries up to sixteen PAC-3 missiles.

The task of the AN/MPQ-65 Radar Set (mounted on M860 semi-trailers and towed by the M983 HEMTT Patriot Tractor) is to sweep the sky for enemy threats and determine whether the incoming object is an aircraft, missile, or UAV. The AN/MPQ-65 is a passive electronically scanned array radar.

From the AN/MSQ-104 ECS, a crew of three operators communicate and monitor/prioritize threats. The ECS consists of a shelter mounted on the chassis of the M927 Medium Tactical Vehicle or on the chassis of a Light Medium Tactical Vehicle (LMTV).

The OE-349 AMG is mounted on the chassis of a M927 Medium Tactical Vehicle. It includes four 4 kW antennas in two pairs on remotely controlled masts. The EPP-III Diesel-Electric Power Plant is the power source for the ECS and Radar Set. The EPP consists of two 150 kW diesel engines interconnected with 400 hertz generators. The generators are mounted on a modified M977 HEMTT.

When launched, the PAC-3 missile flies to an intercept point specified prior to launch by its ground-based fire solution computer. Target trajectory data can be updated during flyout by the means of a radio frequency uplink/downlink. Shortly before arrival at the intercept point, the missile's on board Ka-band seeker acquires the target, selects the optimal aim point and initiates terminal guidance. The attitude control motors, located in the missile forebody, fire explosively to refine the PAC-3 missile's course to assure direct body-to-body impact.

The Patriot Missile System can work in concert with the higher-tier THAAD system. Also, Patriot can accept cues from the AEGIS BMD Combat System, and the Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor (JLENS) System once the latter enters service.

The combatant commanders have demanded additional Patriot capabilities to defeat growing threats to U.S. forces deployed overseas. The Army has added two additional Patriot PAC-3 configuration battalions in FY 2011 and FY 2012 as part of the "Grow-the-Army" initiative. The Army and the Missile Defense Agency jointly continue to evolve the successful integration of PAC-3 capabilities into the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS).

In addition to the United States - Germany, Japan, The Netherlands, Taiwan, and the United Arab Emirates have included the PAC-3 missile in their air and missile defense systems.

Operational testing of the PAC-3 missile began in late 2001 and Initial Operational Capability (IOC) was reached in 2003. In October 2010, Lockheed Martin delivered the 1000th PAC-3 missile to the Army.

On October 25, 2012, the AEGIS BMD Combat System, the PAC-3 missile, and THAAD (incl. two AN/TPY-2 radars) engaged in the first-ever test of all three systems working together to detect, track, engage, and eliminate two ballistic missile targets (out of three) and one cruise missile target (out of two). The Patriot system launched a PAC-3 missile and successfully shot down a short-range ballistic missile. The SM-3 Block IA missile employed by the AEGIS BMDS failed to engage two of the missile threats. The live-fire flight test, Flight Test Integrated-01 (FTI-01), was conducted by the MDA at the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site in the South Pacific.

Price/Cost:

The unit cost of a MIM-104F Patriot PAC-3 missile is $3.43 million (in 2012). The Enhanced Launcher Electronic System (ELES) has a price tag of $3.82 million.

Mission/Role:

The Patriot system contributes to the Ballistic Missile Defense System's overall situational awareness for short range terminal ballistic missile threats. It can cue other systems while protecting BMDS assets. The Patriot system is further enhanced by networked BMDS remote sensors supplying early warning data, thus, increasing the probability of successful threat engagement. The PAC-3 units are the combatant commanders' most capable system to protect soldiers, allies, and assets against these threats.

FY 2012 DoD Program:

Purchases 88 PAC-3 missiles and 36 Electronic Launcher Enhanced Systems (ELES) launchers capable of firing the PAC-3 missile. Provides for the testing and procurement of the latest Patriot system software upgrades, which will enhance the Patriot systems' capabilities against current threats and continue to decrease fratricide risk.

FY 2013 DoD Program:

The FY 13 budget supports the purchase of 84 PAC-3 missiles and 38 Electronic Launcher Enhanced Systems (ELES) + upgrades to enable launchers to fire the PAC-3 missile. The budget also provides for the testing and fielding of the latest Patriot system software upgrades to reduce fratricide risk and enhance the Patriot systems' capabilities against current threats. For more information, click to view the FY 2013 PAC-3 Budget.

Sources Used: U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), Lockheed Martin Corp.,
Aerojet, and The Boeing Co.