The lessons learned from their recent Middle Eastern combat experience will likely help the U.S. Patriot air defense units stationed in Northeast Asia prepare for potential aggression in the Pacific.
The Iranian missile strikes on the United States' Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar prompted an unprecedented air defense response, drawing on Patriot units that were redeployed from Japan and South Korea, Newsweek reported, citing American military leaders.
Approximately 55,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Japan, with another 28,500 in South Korea, to defend America's allies against the growing missile threat from North Korea and China. Beijing has incrementally expanded its long-range missile capabilities and is now reportedly capable of striking U.S. military bases in Japan.
The two Patriot missile units stationed in Northeast Asia — the Army's 38th Air Defense Artillery Brigade in Japan and the 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade in South Korea — are capable of intercepting cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, aircraft, and drones.
Timothy Walton, a senior Hudson Institute researcher who specializes in air and missile defense, told Newsweek that the Army's Air Defense Artillery branch gained valuable experience in the Middle East that will serve them well in intercepting a wide range of threats.
"In response to the high demand for air and missile defense units, the U.S. Army plans to grow its force of Patriot batteries and add new Indirect Fire Protection Capability and other counter-air sensors and effectors to its force," Walton said.
According to Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, all U.S. military personnel were evacuated from the Al Udeid Air Base ahead of Iran's June 23 missile attack except for 44 service members who remained to operate two Patriot batteries. Working alongside Qatari Patriot crews, these U.S. soldiers launched "a bunch" of missiles to intercept the incoming Iranian ones.
"We believe that this is the largest single Patriot engagement in U.S. military history," Caine said at a news conference. "This really demonstrates the combat capability and capacity of our Army air defenders."
In an analysis released Monday, researchers at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America said the Army launched approximately 30 Patriot guided missiles in defense of America's largest Middle Eastern military base, at a cost of $111 million.
"Iran's missile attack on Al Udeid Air Base drew a considerable amount of coverage, but less heralded have been other U.S. Army units defending critical assets in Israel and longstanding operations countering rockets and drones in Iraq and Syria," Walton told Newsweek.
Along with the Patriot system, the Army has also reportedly deployed the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to Israel to help the Jewish state defend against missile attacks from Yemen's Houthi rebels and Iran.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.