Saudi Arabia Launches First THAAD Missile Defense Unit
In a ceremony held at the Air Defense Forces Institute in Jeddah on Wednesday, the Saudi Royal Air Defense Forces commissioned the THAAD unit into service after successfully completing system testing, inspection and activation, as well as conducting collective field training for its personnel within Saudi Arabia.
The Commander of the Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces, Lt. Gen. Mazyad Al-Amro, attended the ceremony, during which he handed the unit's flag to the commander of the 1st Air Defense Group, marking its official entry into service as part of the Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces' systems.
The deployment of this unit is part of the THAAD Defense Project, designed to boost the readiness of the Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces and enhance their defense capabilities, ensuring the protection of the Kingdom's vital infrastructure and strategic interests.
In April 2025, Saudi Arabia celebrated the graduation of its second batch of THAAD-trained personnel at Fort Bliss, Texas, marking a major milestone in bolstering the Kingdom's defense capabilities. The first batch graduated in November 2024.
Saudi Arabia plans to deploy seven THAAD batteries by 2028, further fortifying airspace security and countering threats through hit-to-kill technology. The Kingdom is also localizing THAAD components, with the first domestically manufactured components for the THAAD missile defense system launcher completed in Jeddah in May 2025, in partnership with Lockheed Martin.
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