Saudi Arabia Activates First THAAD Missile Unit in Major Milestone for Gulf Ballistic Missile Defence

Defence affairs analysis

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.

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.