【Is the Middle East Running Out of Air Defense Missiles?】

Is the Middle East running out of air defense missiles? According to a report by Bloomberg, statistics from Persian Gulf states show that since the war began, Iran has launched nearly 1,200 ballistic missiles and 4,000 drones. The U.S. military's anti-ballistic missile operations primarily follow the "double launch and observe" principle—launching two missiles consecutively and then assessing the interception results. This means that throughout the conflict, at least around 2,400 air defense missiles have already been fired by relevant parties just to intercept Iranian missiles, with the actual number possibly even higher, as additional missiles are sometimes required to intercept incoming threats.

Moreover, based on initial operational practices observed in the Gulf states, they still recklessly deployed air defense missiles to counter Iranian drone attacks. If this pattern continues, the actual consumption of air defense missiles could reach an unimaginable figure.

In terms of consumed air defense systems, most were Patriot and THAAD missiles. According to assessments by three U.S. military experts: based on past arms procurement records, Gulf states collectively possessed approximately 2,800 Patriot and THAAD-type missiles before the war. If this calculation holds, the Gulf countries' air defense missile stocks may soon be depleted.

Given the current attack patterns, Iran appears to still have substantial missile reserves, and further attacks are likely. This will undoubtedly place even greater pressure on the Gulf states’ air defense missile inventories.

The massive ammunition consumption across the Middle East has also raised concerns among other U.S. allies. The reason is simple: the United States must now "borrow from one side to cover another," diverting weapons systems and munitions originally destined for other regions to support operations in the Middle East. For example, the Pentagon is currently considering reallocating air defense missiles intended for delivery to Ukraine.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1861354746534919/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.