The unit was commissioned into service following the
successful completion of system testing, evaluation, and field training of
personnel within the Kingdom.
The ceremony was attended by Lt. Gen. Mazyad Al-Amro,
Commander of the Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces, who formally handed over the
unit’s flag to the commander of the 1st Air Defense Group, marking its
operational readiness.
The deployment of the first THAAD battery is part of a
broader defense project aimed at boosting the Kingdom’s air defense
capabilities and ensuring the protection of vital strategic infrastructure and
national interests.
Previously, the Air Defense Forces had graduated personnel
for the first and second THAAD units after they completed specialized training
courses at Fort Bliss in the US state of Texas.
