The Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces have officially graduated their second battery of THAAD missile operators following a specialized training program at Fort Bliss, Texas, marking another step in strengthening the Kingdom’s layered missile defense capabilities.
The ceremony was held at the U.S. Army installation in El Paso, with Major General Abdullah bin Hassan Al-Rubaie, Commander of the Air Defense Forces Institute, representing Lieutenant General Mazyad bin Sulayman Al-Amro, Commander of the Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces. U.S. officials and representatives from defense training entities also attended.
This latest milestone follows the graduation of the first THAAD battery several months ago. It is part of an ongoing, multi-phase initiative to build and certify operational and maintenance crews for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system — one of the most advanced missile intercept platforms in the world.
According to a statement from Saudi military officials, the training included intensive technical and tactical coursework, combat simulation, and advanced field exercises. Instruction was conducted under the supervision of experts from the system’s manufacturer and in collaboration with U.S. defense personnel.
As noted by Saudi defense leadership, the THAAD training program falls within the broader objectives of the Ministry of Defense to elevate force readiness through specialized, hands-on instruction. The initiative also supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objectives, which call for military modernization and domestic defense industry localization.
The THAAD system, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, is designed to intercept ballistic missiles during their terminal phase using a hit-to-kill approach. Its integration into Saudi Arabia’s air defense architecture represents a critical component of the Kingdom’s strategic deterrence posture amid growing regional missile threats.
The Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces say they will continue building local expertise in advanced systems like THAAD to ensure the Kingdom can autonomously operate and maintain its defense assets.