Peloni: The below article details how Iran has been conducting a campaign against U.S. missile defense infrastructure in the region since the war began, aimed specifically at degrading the radar and detection systems involved with U.S. defensive network capabilities in Western Asia. It cites Pentagon confirmation that Iran struck a $300 million radar system at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan stating that these radars are the essential core of systems like THAAD, because they detect incoming missiles, track their paths, and guide interceptor launches.
The author explains that the loss of even one AN/TPY-2 radar would be operationally serious, not only because of its central role in the defense array, but also because replacing it would require moving a unit from somewhere else, a process which could require significant time and effort to complete. Notably analysts aligned with the Pentagon explain that the overall defense network remains in strong condition, the author below argues that Iran appears to understand exactly which infrastructure is most vulnerable and valuable. He points to satellite imagery which is said to indicate damage at four AN/TPY-2 sites across the Arabian Peninsula, including locations in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Jordan.
The author also argues that satellite images further indicate that Iran also hit a $1.1 billion early warning radar in Qatar while also damaged or destroyed facilities at 11 U.S. military sites across Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Jordan over the past two weeks. From this, the author concludes that this would indicate that two THAAD batteries could be rendered effectively inoperative, significantly weakening regional missile defense during ongoing Iranian attacks. Noting that there are no surplus AN/TPY-2 radars in storage and that only about 20 of these radar units have been produced since the 1990s, the author raises concerns that replacing the two lost units would likely take years to complete.
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Nothing in this report seems to explain why we need all this in that part of the world at all. If it was to defend these areas from Iran, then somebody was asleep at the wheel. If not Iran, then who?
@ppksky
The bases in Western Asia provided the US with a forward logistical hubs. They were established over many decades, from the Cold War period to the post Cold War period to the period of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Initially they provided Cold War allies with access to US support, but this evolved to them providing the logistical path through which the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were fought. After these wars were ended, the bases were maintained to promote US counterintelligence operations and to maintain US influence in this energy dominant region of the world. It also provided America with the means by which to impose deterrence, support freedom of the seas, and provide rapid response in the region as needed. In fact one of the most notable aspects of the bases in the region is that many or most of them lack a serious defensive posture which leaves them vulnerable to possible attack. US power projection was the main aspect of defense for the bases, which has led to critiques calling for these bases to be either be resituated or closed as the active threats with Iran have risen over the past decade.
They still have early warning aircraft to keep the holes patched. The radars will be replaced shortly. The revenge will fix this problem.