The Royal Saudi Air Defense Force has formally brought its first Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile unit into service, according to an announcement by the Saudi Ministry of Defense.
A commissioning ceremony was held at the Air Defense Forces Institute in Jeddah, attended by senior military officials including Lt. Gen. Mazyad Al-Amro, Commander of the Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces. During the event, the unit's flag was handed over to the commander of the 1st Air Defense Group, symbolizing the system’s operational readiness.
The decision follows the completion of testing and evaluation processes, along with training programs conducted both in the Kingdom and in the United States. Personnel assigned to the first and second THAAD units had previously completed specialized training at Fort Bliss in Texas.
The deployment is part of a broader initiative to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s air defense architecture and protect key infrastructure against aerial threats. THAAD is designed to intercept short- and medium-range ballistic missiles during their terminal phase of flight.
While Saudi officials did not disclose further deployment plans, the Ministry of Defense described the move as a step toward enhancing national defense capabilities amid regional security challenges.
Separately, Newsweek reported that the U.S.-made THAAD system has shown inconsistent performance in recent missile interception attempts, particularly in conflicts involving missile launches from Iran and Yemen. The magazine also noted that nearly 20 percent of the U.S. THAAD missile inventory has been used in recent operations by Israel.
