RIYADH — The Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces have announced the graduation of the third unit of its personnel trained to operate the US-made Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system. The training was completed at Fort Bliss Military Base in El Paso, Texas, United States of America. This graduation represents an extension of the two previous batches, which were trained several months ago. This is part of a broader initiative to build a fully qualified Saudi operational and maintenance crew for the THAAD system, one of the world's most advanced and precise missile defense technologies. The system is considered a key pillar of Saudi Arabia's air defense capabilities. The THAAD battery is a state-of-the-art system designed to intercept short- and medium-range ballistic missiles. During their training, the Saudi air defense personnel underwent an intensive program that included technical and operational instruction, combat simulation, and advanced field exercises. The course was conducted under the supervision of experts from the system's manufacturing company, in cooperation with the United States as part of ongoing military collaboration agreements between the two countries. The training program is aligned with the Saudi Ministry of Defense's strategy to enhance the operational readiness and technical proficiency of its forces through advanced and specialized training. This is in line with the goals of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 in military modernization and localization of technology. The graduation ceremony was held at Fort Bliss Military Base in the presence of Maj. Gen. Khalid Al-Zahrani, commander of the 1st Air Defense Group, on behalf of Lt. Gen. Mazyad Al-Amro, commander of the Air Defense Forces. Representatives from the US side and relevant training agencies also participated.
