Ukraine's Patriot kills of Russian planes and missiles have turned a US air-defense weapon with a troubled past into a hero

• Ukraine's use of the US-made Patriot system has been celebrated.
• The weapon had a chequered reputation due to its performance in past conflicts.
• Any skepticism over its effectiveness should be put to bed, experts told Business Insider.

Any lingering doubts about the effectiveness of the US-made Patriot air-defense system at shooting down airborne threats have finally been dispelled by the system's performance in Ukraine, experts told Business Insider.

The system's intercept rate in past conflicts left it with a mixed reputation, experts said, and sparked debates over whether it should be sent to Ukraine in the first place.