US Patriot air defense units have returned to South Korea after several months of deployment in the Middle East, according to US Forces Korea (USFK), as reported by Yonhap.
Personnel from the 2nd Battalion, 1st Air Defense Artillery Regiment arrived back in South Korea following their assignment under US Central Command. The deployment had begun in March.
“About 500 personnel and artillery units at the battalion level returned on Oct. 30,” a USFK official said.
USFK Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson stated in August that the batteries would return to South Korea to receive updated equipment.
South Korea hosts more than 28,500 US military personnel under its alliance with Washington. The country currently fields a mix of domestic air defense systems and US supplied capabilities, including the Patriot Advanced Capability 3 system, which intercepts targets at lower altitudes than the South Korean L SAM system.
For higher altitude threats, South Korea relies on the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system operated by USFK, which provides interception at altitudes between approximately 40 and 150 kilometers.
