Patriot missile batteries have been the iconic air defense system in the United States’ arsenal for several decades, but evolving threats – from cheap rockets to even cheaper drones – have forced the U.S. and other militaries to develop a range of defensive weapons to match.
In retaliation for ongoing strikes by the U.S. and Israel, Iran has been conducting daily aerial attacks using missiles and drones against Israel and countries in the Persian Gulf region. In December 2025, Iran also launched a large-scale, coordinated raid involving hundreds of missiles and drones against Israel. Hamas launched an even larger assault in October 2023 of many thousands of low-cost rockets and primitive missiles against Israel, overwhelming its highly touted Iron Dome air defense system. And, in the conflict between the Ukraine and Russia, there have been several examples of large-scale drone raids by both sides.
