Saudi forces trained to operate US Thaad missile defence system

Training at Fort Bliss strengthens kingdom’s missile shield and strategic defence capabilities

The Saudi military has increased the number of personnel trained to operate the US-made Thaad system. Photo: Saudi Ministry of Defence

The Royal Saudi Air Defence Forces announced on Sunday the graduation of the third unit of personnel trained to operate the US-made Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (Thaad) system.

The programme was completed at Fort Bliss Military Base in El Paso, Texas, the Saudi Defence Ministry said.

Last month, Saudi Arabia inaugurated its first battery of the Thaad missile system. The introduction of the system, which can intercept ballistic missiles inside and outside the atmosphere, is part of a broader defence project aimed at boosting the kingdom’s air defence capabilities and ensuring the protection of vital strategic infrastructure and national interests.

The latest batch builds on two previous training rounds completed earlier this year, as Riyadh works to establish a fully qualified Saudi team capable of operating and maintaining the system, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

Saudi Arabia is the second Gulf country after the UAE to install the Thaad system. The Emirates became the first nation outside of the US to obtain the missile defence system in 2011, purchasing two batteries that entered service in 2016.

Qatar will also acquire the Thaad system, US President Donald Trump said during a visit in May as part of a regional tour that included Saudi Arabia and the UAE. He said the purchase was part of a deal worth $42 billion to supply Qatar with US military hardware.

Saudi officers underwent an intensive programme that included technical instruction, combat simulations and field exercises, the news agency reported.

The course was delivered under the supervision of the system’s manufacturer, in co-ordination with the US military, as part of continuing defence co-operation between Washington and Riyadh, it added.