In a landmark step that could redefine the balance of missile defence capabilities in the Gulf, the Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces have officially commissioned their first Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile battery into active service.
The historic ceremony, held at the Air Defense Forces Institute in Jeddah, marked the culmination of years of procurement, rigorous system testing, and intensive training for Saudi personnel tasked with operating one of the world’s most sophisticated anti-ballistic missile shields.
The Saudi Ministry of Defense confirmed that the unit reached full operational readiness after completing a demanding series of live trials and operational evaluations conducted within the Kingdom’s airspace.
Lieutenant General Mazyad Al-Amro, Commander of the Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces, personally presided over the commissioning event, symbolically handing the unit’s flag to the commander of the 1st Air Defense Group in a move that underscored the system’s pivotal role in safeguarding national sovereignty.
The THAAD deployment represents the first concrete manifestation of Saudi Arabia’s broader strategy to build a multi-layered ballistic missile defence network capable of intercepting threats from regional adversaries, notably Iran and its growing arsenal of short, medium, and long-range ballistic missiles.
For Saudi Arabia, which has faced repeated ballistic missile and drone attacks from Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, the operationalization of THAAD provides a critical new layer of protection for its oil infrastructure, urban population centres, and strategic military assets.
The road to this milestone began in October 2017 when Riyadh signed a landmark procurement agreement with Washington worth an estimated USD 15 billion (RM66.7 billion), covering seven complete THAAD systems.
Under the terms of the deal, the Kingdom will receive 44 THAAD launchers, 360 advanced interceptors, 16 fire control and communication stations, and seven AN/TPY-2 high-resolution tracking radars, alongside a comprehensive package of support equipment and long-term maintenance services.
The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, developed by U.S. defence giant Lockheed Martin, is designed to intercept and destroy incoming ballistic missiles in their terminal phase at altitudes of up to 150 km and ranges of approximately 200 km.
Unlike lower-tier systems such as the Patriot PAC-3, THAAD operates in the exo-atmospheric realm, giving Saudi Arabia an unprecedented ability to neutralise longer-range ballistic threats before they enter the denser layers of the atmosphere.
To ensure effective system integration and operational readiness, the first cohort of Saudi air defence officers underwent months of specialised training at the U.S. Army’s Fort Bliss facility in Texas — the primary training ground for THAAD crews.
Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense confirmed that personnel for both the first and second THAAD units had graduated from these intensive courses, a testament to the Kingdom’s commitment to localising advanced air defence know-how.
Notably, Riyadh has sought to embed local industrial participation within its broader missile defence architecture.
In January 2024, Lockheed Martin inked a significant technology transfer agreement allowing parts of the THAAD system’s production to shift to the Kingdom, with Saudi companies manufacturing missile transport containers and certain launcher components under tight quality control.
This push for indigenous manufacturing aligns with the Vision 2030 economic diversification agenda, which aims to localise 50% of Saudi military procurement expenditure and create high-skilled jobs for Saudi nationals.
Critical to the THAAD system’s long-range interception capability is the AN/TPY-2 radar, a high-powered X-band surveillance radar developed by RTX, formerly known as Raytheon.
In September, Raytheon delivered the first of seven AN/TPY-2 radars to Saudi Arabia under a separate USD 2.3 billion (RM9.48 billion) agreement signed in 2020, marking a significant boost to the Kingdom’s early warning and tracking capacity.
According to Raytheon officials, the AN/TPY-2 radar employs Gallium Nitride (GaN) semiconductor technology, offering improved power efficiency, heat resistance, and detection sensitivity compared to older Gallium Arsenide-based systems.
“The latest AN/TPY-2 radar represents a significant technological leap, with Raytheon incorporating over 50 improvements into the system,” a senior Raytheon representative explained.
“These upgrades will bolster Saudi Arabia’s defence against missile threats and enhance overall detection capabilities for its fleet.”
When fully deployed, the AN/TPY-2 can detect and track ballistic targets at distances ranging from 870 km to 3,000 km, depending on the threat profile and operational configuration.
The radar’s versatility enables it to operate in two primary modes: Forward-Based Mode for early launch detection near an adversary’s territory, and Terminal Mode for intercept guidance closer to the defended area.
In the Gulf’s volatile security environment, where Iran has demonstrated the capability to launch precision-guided ballistic missiles at ranges exceeding 1,500 km, such advanced tracking assets are indispensable for a credible layered defence.
Globally, the U.S. military has deployed 12 AN/TPY-2 radars since 2004, with several stationed at strategic outposts in the Middle East.
One notable site is the covert “Site 512” atop Mount Har Qeren in Israel’s Negev Desert, where the radar’s eyes keep watch for potential missile launches from Iran that could threaten Israel or U.S. interests.
For Riyadh, the operationalisation of its first THAAD battery represents a clear message to allies and rivals alike: the Kingdom is determined to fortify its airspace with cutting-edge technologies and robust partnerships with leading Western defence primes.
It also signals a commitment to building interoperability with U.S. and Gulf Cooperation Council partners who are equally exposed to the spectre of Iranian ballistic and cruise missile attacks.
As Saudi Arabia awaits delivery of the remaining six THAAD units, the question now shifts to how quickly the full system will be integrated with the Kingdom’s existing air and missile defence umbrella, which includes Patriot PAC-3 batteries, various short-range point defence systems, and locally-developed counter-UAS capabilities.
With the geopolitical winds in the Middle East showing no signs of calming — and regional missile arsenals growing both in range and sophistication — Saudi Arabia’s new THAAD shield could prove to be a game-changing asset in the ongoing contest for air dominance and strategic deterrence in the Gulf.
In an era where ballistic missile threats are no longer theoretical but very real, Riyadh’s investment of USD 15 billion (RM66.7 billion) could well mark the difference between vulnerability and resilience.
As one senior Saudi defence official put it recently, “The integration of THAAD is not just about hardware — it is about guaranteeing our national security for generations to come.”