For more than four decades, the Patriot defensive missile system has occupied a central place in the architecture of American military power. Exported widely across NATO, the Middle East, and Asia, Patriot has become more than a defensive missile battery. It is simultaneously a battlefield system, a geopolitical signal, a reassurance mechanism for allies, and a symbol of American technological sophistication. The system retains enormous prestige. New Patriot batteries continue to be ordered despite high acquisition and sustainment costs. Political leaders routinely present Patriot deployments as evidence of American commitment and advanced defensive capability. During periods of regional crisis, requests for Patriot deployments often carry almost ritual significance. A Patriot battery does not merely defend airspace; it visibly anchors a state inside the American security order. Patriot PAC-3 launch Yet beneath this continued prominence lies a more complicated reality.…