The hearing focused on the effectiveness of the Patriot missile system. The patriot gained fame during the war in the Persian Gulf, as a defense against the Iraqi Scud missiles. But over the past few days, there have been reports that earlier claims about the success of the Patriot system were exaggerated. The subcommittee heard from congressional investigators who have reviewed the Gulf war data, as well as officials from the Defense Department and Raytheon, the manufacturer of the Patriot system.