Patriot

Type: Medium range area defense system with modest anti-missile capability. Deployed in static manner with radar and a number of launchers which are trailer mounted and need to be towed to be moved. First introduced in the mid 1980s, development still underway.

Origin: USA

Operators & deployment: (Bold = batteries found on google earth) Germany, Greece, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia and Taiwan. Some visible Kuwaiti and Saudi batteries may belong to US forces. US batteries also visible in South Korea.

1. Saudi Arabia

Other visible Patriot sites in Saudi Arabia include:
26 22 09 N, 50 06 48 E
26 25 28 N, 49 46 43 E
26 37 04 N, 49 57 58 E
26 50 54 N, 49 51 36 E
27 01 32 N, 49 37 08 E
24 54 21 N, 46 39 48 E
24 44 14 N, 46 44 09 E (empty)
24 42 57 N 46 43 17 E (empty, looks US)


2. Kuwait

Other visible Patriot sites in Kuwait include:
29 19 57 N, 47 31 23 E (empty, looks US)
29 16 09 N, 47 38 04 E (empty)
29 17 57 N, 48 02 07 E
29 11 12 N, 48 01 16 E


3. Taiwan
Note: It is almost impossible to differentiate between Taiwanese Patriot and indigenous TK-1 SAM units because they are almost identical. These may be TK-1. 

Other visible Patriot sites in Taiwan include:
25 10 47 N, 121 40 55 E
24 57 19 N, 121 30 44 E


4. South Korea
Note: these are US operated

Other Patriot sites visible in South Korea include:
37 14 26 N, 126 59 47 E
35 53 49 N, 126 36 52 E
35 53 45 N, 126 37 18 E
35 06 57 N, 126 48 20 E




5. Japan
Note: some though not all of these may be US operated

Other Patriot sites in Japan include
35 52 40 N, 130 38 41 E (look slightly north also. Possible Patriot also at 33 52 33 N, 130 39 57 E)
35 23 28 N, 136 51 53 E
35 42 37 N, 140 04 12 E
36 02 15 N, 140 11 38 E
42 47 47 N, 141 39 10 E
26 11 39 N, 127 38 30 E (Almost certainly US)


Other countries where you can see them:
Germany – many, mostly at air bases. Mostly ex-US, now disused.
USA – good one at 31 48 58 N, 106 18 30 W










[edit on 20-7-2006 by planeman]