The US Army is learning hard lessons from Ukraine and the Middle East on how to prepare and protect air defenders
Air defense units are taking note of complex threats and tactics while also learning how to better protect and conceal themselves.
Recent conflicts have put US Army air defense systems and crews to the test. The US Army is incorporating lessons from Ukraine and Iran to better prepare its air defenders, according to military officials. Forward-deployed units are sharing combat insights and refining simulations to mirror emerging battlefield threats and tactics.
Russian forces during their conflict with Ukraine have targeted Patriot batteries and other air-defense systems, employing complex barrages of drones, ballistic, and cruise missiles. This has taught the US Army about mobility, concealment, deception, and dispersal tactics. Iran's war with American and allied forces has also exposed air defenders to large-scale drone and missile bombardments while managing interceptor stocks.
Lt. Gen. John Rafferty, head of Army Space and Missile Defense Command, stated that air defenders have been among the most proactive communities in learning from Ukraine. He emphasized that survivability and the protection of critical assets are key takeaways from these lessons. Rafferty inquired early in his command about how these observations were being implemented and found that command teams have put them into action.
The 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command, now part of Army Space and Missile Defense Command, shares these insights with its headquarters at Fort Bliss, Texas, and updates training materials for air defense soldiers. The command's responsibilities encompass both active defenses, such as intercepting missiles, and passive measures, like camouflage and dispersal, as well as coordinating intelligence and command-and-control.
In the Middle East, around 2,500 soldiers from the command are deployed, including air defense formations and space specialists. About 25% to 30% of these formations consist of Patriot units and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense anti-ballistic missile defense crews. Officials are using insights from the Middle East to inform training for other brigades, ensuring new air defense soldiers can quickly adapt to emerging threats and tactics.
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