$300 Million US Radar Destroyed in Iran’s Attack: TRT

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International Desk: A critical US radar system for missile defense in the Gulf region has reportedly been destroyed in an Iranian attack, according to international media. Bloomberg, citing a US official, reported that this radar system, worth nearly $300 million and deployed in Jordan, was destroyed during the early days of the conflict.
Analysts say the incident has created a major vulnerability in Jordan’s air defense network. Ryan Brobst, Deputy Director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Bloomberg that Iran’s strike on the THAAD radar could be considered one of their most successful attacks to date. However, he noted that the US and its allies have other radar systems, which could help maintain air and missile defense coverage, mitigating some of the impact of losing the THAAD radar.
Citing satellite imagery, CNN reported that at the start of the war, the AN/TPY-2 radar and its auxiliary equipment used in the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan were destroyed. A US official later confirmed the report.
According to the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Iran conducted two attacks on Jordan—on February 28 and March 3. While the initial reports claimed both attacks were intercepted, it later emerged that the radar had indeed been destroyed.
THAAD units are designed to intercept ballistic missiles at the edge of the atmosphere, making them more sophisticated and capable than Patriot batteries for long-range threats. With the AN/TPY-2 radar disabled, the US will now have to rely more heavily on Patriot missile defense systems for missile interception.
According to Anadolu Agency, since February 28, the US has reportedly lost around $2 billion worth of military equipment due to ongoing Iranian attacks.
Meanwhile, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun stated on Friday (March 6) that some US Patriot missile defense systems deployed in South Korea could be sent to the Middle East to assist in ongoing operations. Discussions on this are reportedly ongoing between Seoul and Washington.