Patriot PAC-3

The U.S. Army's primary long-range surface-to-air and ballistic-missile defense system, upgraded in the PAC-3 configuration with hit-to-kill interceptors for higher-precision endo-atmospheric intercepts. It is one of the most widely exported air-defense systems in the world, operated by over a dozen nations.

Engagement

60 km

💲 Approximate cost per full battery including launchers and radar

Full specifications

Performance

Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.

Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters.: 5 Mach

50th pct in class
Engagement range Maximum distance at which an air-defense system can intercept targets. Higher covers more airspace.: 60 km

33th pct in class
Engagement altitude Maximum target altitude the system can reach.: 24,000 m

50th pct in class
Simultaneous targets Number of targets the system can engage at once. Higher resists saturation attacks.: 8

0th pct in class

Firepower

Armament, payload and guidance.

Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.: PAC-3 MSE hit-to-kill interceptor missile
Warhead Warhead mass. Heavier generally means larger effect radius, at the cost of range.: 74 kg

60th pct in class
Warhead type Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable.: Blast-fragmentation / hit-to-kill kinetic
Guidance How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire.: Active radar homing, Inertial + datalink midcourse update

Sensors & avionics

Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.

Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art.: AN/MPQ-65 phased-array radar
Radar range Published detection range against a typical fighter-sized target. Higher sees first.: 170 km

33th pct in class
Datalink Network connectivity: Link 16, MADL, national datalinks. Enables cooperative engagement.: Link 16, IBCS

Program

Cost, production scale and operators.

Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.: $1,100,000,000

0th pct in class
Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.: 19

83th pct in class

Specifications compiled from public Raytheon (RTX) and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-01.

Frequently asked questions

What is the engagement range of the Raytheon (RTX) Patriot PAC-3? +

The Raytheon (RTX) Patriot PAC-3 has a maximum engagement range of 60 km.

What is the main armament of the Raytheon (RTX) Patriot PAC-3? +

The Raytheon (RTX) Patriot PAC-3's primary weapon is the PAC-3 MSE hit-to-kill interceptor missile.

What is the Raytheon (RTX) Patriot PAC-3 used for? +

The Raytheon (RTX) Patriot PAC-3 is a air defense system typically used for air defense.

How many countries operate the Raytheon (RTX) Patriot PAC-3? +

The Raytheon (RTX) Patriot PAC-3 is operated by 19 countries.

How much does the Raytheon (RTX) Patriot PAC-3 cost? +

The Raytheon (RTX) Patriot PAC-3 has an approximate unit cost of 1,100,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.