The Patriot is a surface-to-air missile (SAM) system. It is manufactured by the Raytheon Company of the United States. The Patriot System replaced the Nike Hercules System as the US Army's primary High to Medium Air Defence (HIMAD) platform, and replaced the HAWK System as the US Army's medium tactical air defence platform. In addition to these roles, Patriot has assumed the role as the US Army's anti-ballistic missile (ABM) platform, which today is Patriot's primary mission.


Patriot uses an advanced aerial interceptor missile and high performance radar systems. Patriot was developed at the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, which had previously developed the Safeguard ABM system and its component Spartan and Sprint missiles.

Patriot systems have been sold to the Republic of China (Taiwan), Greece, Egypt, Israel, Germany, the Netherlands, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Spain. The Republic of Korea is also in the process of purchasing several second-hand Patriot systems after the North Koreans test-launched several ballistic missiles to the Sea of Japan and went ahead with underground nuclear testing in 2006.