Iran destroys $300-million US THAAD radar system as Middle East remains on boil
India Today
Iran has destroyed a USD 300-million THAAD radar system in Jordan, marking a significant escalation in the US-Israel-Iran war and creating new challenges for Washington's military posture in the Middle East.
Iran has destroyed a key Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) radar system used by the US to detect and intercept ballistic missiles in the Middle East, dealing a major blow to Washington’s missile defence network as the war between Iran, the US and Israel, into its second week, intensifies, Bloomberg reported.
A US official told Bloomberg that the AN/TPY-2 radar, an essential component of the THAAD missile defence system, was struck and destroyed at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan during the early days of the conflict. The radar, estimated to cost around USD 300 million, helps guide interceptor missiles used to track and destroy incoming ballistic threats.
Satellite imagery reviewed by analysts showed extensive damage to the radar installation at the air base, a key US military hub located over 800 km from Iran. Images taken after the strike showed two large craters near the radar site, suggesting that multiple projectiles may have been used in the attack.
The radar system is mounted across several large trailers and forms the backbone of the THAAD battery’s detection and tracking capability. Satellite analysis indicated that the radar and its support equipment were either destroyed or heavily damaged in the strike.
The radar had been deployed at the Jordanian base since mid-February, shortly before the outbreak of hostilities on February 28, when the US and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iranian targets. Analysts believe the system was hit around March 1 or March 2, CNN reported.
THAAD systems represent one of the most advanced missile defence technologies used by the US military. They are designed to intercept ballistic missiles in the final stage of their flight path, high in the atmosphere, allowing them to neutralise long-range threats before they reach their targets.
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