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MISSION The PATRIOT System ulitilizing the Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile is the most mature Element of the BMDS. Now operational with the U.S. Army, this Element is a land-based system built on the proven PATRIOT air and missile defense infrastructure. As the best defense against short- range ballistic missiles, PATRIOT was deployed to the Middle East as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, where it successfully engaged all threatening ballistic missiles within its scope of operation. The Under Secretary of Defense approved the transfer of the PATRIOT Advanced Capa-bility-3 missile and realignment of the Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) programs from the Missile Defense Agency to the Army in March 2003. In July 2004 the Under Secretary of Defense approved the Army’s plan to combine management, development, and fielding of both the MEADS and PATRIOT systems. This approach provides for earlier fielding of enhanced air and missile defense capabilities across the currently fielded force to counter the evolving threat and allows for the knowledge that was gained in the development and fielding of the PATRIOT system to be fused into MEADS development and fielding. The Missile Segment Enhancement missile, the primary missile for the system, performs at an extended range. PrOGrAM DESCrIPTION Although the Army is now responsible for PAC-3 pro- curement and the PAC-3/MEADS combined aggregate Patriot Advanced Capability- & Medium extended Air Defense System development program, the Army and MDA continue to work together to ensure the successful integration of this component’s capabilities into the BMDS architecture. MEADS is a cooperative effort among the United States, Germany, and Italy to develop a netted and distributed air and missile defense system that is mobile and transport-able. This system will be capable of countering ballistic missiles and air-breathing threats (e.g., aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, and cruise missiles). It will help bridge the gap between short-range maneuver air and missile defense systems and the long-range BMDS elements. Mounted on wheeled vehicles, this system will include launchers carrying several interceptors along with advanced radars that will provide 360-degree coverage on the battlefield. The PAC-3 and MEADS system components will be integrated with the BMDS’s Command and Control, Battle Management, and Communications Element to provide the lower tier defense. Incorporation of the PAC-3 and MEADS components will allow an integrated fire control capability with upper tier terminal defense and utilization of the broad range of BMDS sensors that supports the BMDS integrated fire capability. CONTrIBUTIONS TO THE BMDS The PATRIOT weapon system provides simultaneous multi-role air and missile defense capabilities when integrat- ed into the BMDS as the Lower Tier Element in defense of US deployed forces, friends, and allies. The system is employed as a theater element with Aegis BMD and THAAD missile systems to provide an integrated overlap-ping defense against missile threats in the Terminal Phase of flight. Jointly, these systems form a multi-tier theater defense against adversary missile threats by utilizing Peer- to-Peer engagement coordination, early warning track data, and battle management situational awareness to effectively engage the threat while minimizing interceptor wastage. In this role PATRIOT contributes to BMDS overall situational awareness for Short and Intermediate range TBM threats and can transmit precision cueing data to other theater elements while simultaneously protecting BMDS assets against large caliber rockets and air breathing threats. In the homeland defense mission area PATRIOT provides Cruise Missile engagement capabilities that are further enhanced by networked BMDS remote sensors supplying early warning data increasing the probability of successful threat engagement. Majority of work for PAC- and MeADS is performed in the green colored states.