U.S. to Deploy Missile Defense System and About 100 Troops to Israel

The New York Times ^ | Oct. 13, 2024, 12:46 p.m. ET | Helene Cooper

[E. Pluribus Unum]

The United States is sending an advanced missile defense system to Israel, and will deploy about 100 American troops to operate it, the Pentagon announced on Sunday.

President Biden directed Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, and its crew, Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, said in a statement on Sunday.

The move comes after Iran launched about 200 missiles, including ballistic missiles, at Israel on Oct. 1 and as Israel plans its retaliatory attack. It will put American troops closer to the widening war in the Middle East.

General Ryder said the battery would “augment Israel’s integrated air defense system.”

“This action underscores the United States’ ironclad commitment to the defense of Israel, and to defend Americans in Israel, from any further ballistic missile attacks by Iran,” the statement said. “It is part of the broader adjustments the U.S. military has made in recent months to support the defense of Israel and protect Americans from attacks by Iran and Iranian-aligned militias.”

The United States sent a THAAD battery along with other air defense systems to the region weeks after the Hamas-led attacks on Oct. 7, 2023. It was not immediately clear how quickly the missile defense system and troops would arrive in Israel.

On Saturday Mr. Austin spoke with Yoav Gallant, the Israeli defense minister, and “expressed his deep concern about reports that Israeli forces fired on U.N. peacekeeping positions in Lebanon as well as by the reported death of two Lebanese soldiers,” the Pentagon said in a statement about the call.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

And so it begins.

[Thud]

The Defense Department is taking advantage of an opportunity for operational tests of THAAD.

[rdcbn1]

This is really good news for Israel, even if it is a bit ominous.

Iron Dome is very effective for some missile threats but is not so great for serious ballistic missile threats.

THAADS is a much more capable system.

[ZOOKER]

Wonder how they will take this news in Dearbornistan?

Kamikazi Kamala snubs the Muslim vote? She's already in trouble with blacks and Hispanics. Are they doing this deliberately?

[aMorePerfectUnion]

The USA has a “memorandum of understanding” with Israel that commits $3.8 billion/year to Israel.

This is only what is disclosed publicly. No secret CIA support. No black budget stuff.

Over this past year, the USA has borrowed. $17.9 billion to give Israel.

Again, this is all that we know publicly.

We do not have endless money to give other nations and causes.

While they are an ally, we have clearly failed to provide for American citizens while richly funding a nation that is not a poor country.

[Blueflag]

Exactly.

[cgbg]

Yeah—this is Biden stabbing Kamala and Democrat Party leadership in the back.

Revenge is a dish best served cold.

[Retain Mike]

As the First Lieutenant of my ship said, “This is great training, and the kids will love it’.

[Angelino97]

The Defense Department is taking advantage of an opportunity for operational tests of THAAD.

Nice spin. It's for our benefit.

Be nice if the Pentagon also took advantage of the opportunity to charge Israel for the cost.

[whitney69]

“And so it begins.”

It’s already there. In March 2019, Bravo Battery, 2nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment (B-2 THAAD), 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade was deployed at Nevatim Airbase during a joint US-Israeli drill, after which it was to be moved to an undisclosed location in the Negev desert in southern Israel. The X-Band radar system, which is part of the THAAD system, has been deployed at Nevatim since 2008. It has been developed along side the Aegis Ashore system that has a larger radar converage but is far more expensive.

Other countries like Taiwan, Omen and Japan have been trying to make a deal with the US and Saudi already has the system sold to them for $15M in 2017. Other locations that have already been upgraded are Turkey, Romania, and South Korea. For the US Hawaii, Guam, and Wake Island. On the west coast there are systems at Fort Greely, Alaska and Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.

This weapons system sounds new but it really isn’t. Lockheed Martin has been working on this since 1991 and are currently working on a system to counter hypersonic glide vehicles.

wy69

[Angelino97]

The USA has a “memorandum of understanding” with Israel that commits $3.8 billion/year to Israel.

"Memorandum of understanding" ... "commitment" ... these are nice words for welfare handouts.

The USA has no obligation to continue welfare handouts to any nation ... or even to domestic recipients ... regardless of the words used.

[Angelino97]

Yeah—this is Biden stabbing Kamala and Democrat Party leadership in the back.

The Democratic Party leadership supports this. It has always supported Israel.

So would Harris if she were president.

“If this Capitol crumbled to the ground, the one thing that would remain is our commitment to our aid -- and I don’t even call it aid -- our cooperation with Israel. That’s fundamental to who we are.” -- Nancy Pelosi

[aMorePerfectUnion]

I lean toward your view.

Especially once I learned that every single member of congress has an “Israeli handler” to guide their votes, except Massie... And they’ve opposed Massie in elections because he refuses.

[Thud]

You are unaware of the years-old agreements for ABM technology-sharing, testing and manufacturing. Those are very intertwined. IMO the US is a little bit pregnant on such matters.