M901 Patriot PAC-2

The M901 Patriot PAC-2 is a mobile missile launching station that forms a critical component of the Patriot air defense system. It is designed to deploy and fire the PAC-2 (Patriot Advanced Capability-2) missile, which significantly enhanced the system's ability to intercept tactical ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.

Developed in the late 1980s, the PAC-2 upgrade was accelerated to counter the emerging threat of tactical ballistic missiles, improving upon the original Patriot system's anti-aircraft focus. The modified M901 launching stations and PAC-2 missiles entered service in late 1990, rapidly deploying to the Middle East. The system achieved historic combat success during the 1991 Gulf War, where it was extensively used to intercept Iraqi Scud missiles targeting Saudi Arabia and Israel. Today, despite the introduction of the hit-to-kill PAC-3, the PAC-2 variant remains a vital, combat-proven component of the air defense arsenals of the United States and over a dozen allied nations.