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Patriot

Ground-based air and missile defense system.

by RTX · First fielded 1984

FieldedOtherLandFielded1984
A Patriot launcher firing an interceptor during an Army test

Photo: U.S. Army photo by Jason Cutshaw · Public domain (PD-USGov-Military-Army)

Milestones19811984
  1. First deliveryFirst Patriot missile delivered, confirmed
  2. FieldedPatriot first fielded to U.S. forces, confirmed

Ground-based air and missile defense system. The system employs several interceptor families, including PAC-3 MSE.

Timeline2

  1. First deliveryConfirmed

    First Patriot missile delivered

    Delivery of the missile element, not completion of an entire operational battery.

    SourcesU.S. Army

  2. FieldedConfirmed

    Patriot first fielded to U.S. forces

    SourcesU.S. Army

Solid entries are confirmed, outlined reported, dashed estimated or still to come; dotted italic entries are speculative. Dates show only the precision the sources give.

Built with1

Cost to the government

  • Unit cost (per unit)Reported
    $1.10B
    Estimate / observation: 2022-12-16 · Then-year $ · 1 unit

    Unit = one newly produced Patriot battery (US cost), CSIS estimate (Cancian/Karako): ~$1.1B total = ~$400M for the system (radar, launchers, control/support equipment) + ~$690M for the missiles (initial load plus two reloads, mix of PAC-2/PAC-3). CSIS also cites ~$1.27B per new US Patriot battalion excluding missiles. Same figures repeated in CRS IF12297 (Jan 2023). Official figures not published.

    Center for Strategic and International Studies
  • Contract unit priceEstimated
    $425M
    Estimate / observation: 2025-12-23 · 4 units · Spain

    Unit = one Patriot air and missile defense system (fire unit) for Spain. Raytheon contract worth $1.7B to deliver four Patriot systems (Reuters). Derived: 1,700,000,000 / 4 = $425M per system; contract scope may include training, support and spares; interceptor content not stated.

    Reuters (via U.S. News)
Budget by fiscal year
Fiscal yearAppropriationRequestEnactedQtyBudget lineSource
FY2027RDT&E$439M———Office of the Under Secretary of War (Comptroller)Confirmed
FY2027Procurement$2.84B———Office of the Under Secretary of War (Comptroller)Confirmed
FY2027Total$3.28B———Office of the Under Secretary of War (Comptroller)Confirmed
FY2026RDT&E$480M$439M——Office of the Under Secretary of War (Comptroller)Estimated
FY2026Procurement$2.02B$1.30B——Office of the Under Secretary of War (Comptroller)Confirmed
FY2026Total$2.50B$1.74B——Office of the Under Secretary of War (Comptroller)Confirmed
FY2025RDT&E—$338M——Office of the Under Secretary of War (Comptroller)Confirmed
FY2025Procurement—$566M——Office of the Under Secretary of War (Comptroller)Confirmed
FY2025Total—$904M——Office of the Under Secretary of War (Comptroller)Confirmed

Unit costs and contract unit prices for this product, and budget figures for the programs that buy it. Each figure states its dollar basis and links its source; contract values are under Programs & awards.

In service

First fielded
1984

News1

Sources7

  1. 1.
    NewsRTX Unit Raytheon Lands $1.7 Billion Deal to Supply Patriot Systems to Spain

    Reuters (via U.S. News) · Dec 23, 2025 · Supports: Cost · amount

    “$1.7 billion contract to deliver four Patriot air and missile defense systems to Spain”
  2. 2.
    ResearchPatriot to Ukraine: What Does It Mean?

    Center for Strategic and International Studies · Dec 16, 2022 · Supports: Cost · amount

    “The total cost is probably around $1.1 billion: $400 million for the system and $690 million for the missiles.”
  3. 3.
    Government recordPATRIOT: Combat Proven, Still Improving

    U.S. Army · Supports: System, System milestone

    “first fielded to U.S. forces in 1984.”
  4. 4.
    Government recordProgram Acquisition Cost by Weapon System: Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request

    Office of the Under Secretary of War (Comptroller) · Supports: Cost · amount

    “PATRIOT Advanced Capability - PAC-3/LTAMDS ... 760.1 Qty - $M 337.5 Procurement - 418.6”
  5. 5.
    Government recordProgram Acquisition Cost by Weapon System: Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request

    Office of the Under Secretary of War (Comptroller) · Supports: Cost · amount

    “PATRIOT Advanced Capability - PAC-3/LTAMDS ... 2027 MAND. Qty $M 425.3 1,722.2 DISC. Qty ... - - 3,279.3 - 14.0 - - -”
  6. 6.
    Government recordRedstone Arsenal: PATRIOT chronology

    U.S. Army · Supports: System, System milestone

    “December 81 The first PATRIOT missile was delivered.”
  7. 7.
    CompanyPAC-3 Media Kit

    Lockheed Martin · Supports: System, System · system component:pac-3-mse

    “PAC-3 MSE is a true IAMD effector integrated into the Patriot system”

Each fact on this page is attached to the sources that support it. Archived copies are linked when we keep one.