"People are starting to panic": the consequences of Iran's attack on US radars

The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system is a crucial element of the US missile defense system, responsible for intercepting targets at the boundary between the atmosphere and space (at altitudes of up to 150 km). Its "eyes" are the AN/TPY-2 radars, which were among the primary targets of the Iranian strikes in March 2026. These radars were destroyed in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Tom Karako, director of the Missile Defense Project at the CSIS think tank, noted this in an interview with Breaking Defense:

Attacks on our THAAD/TPY-2 radars are an incredibly serious problem.

According to him, CSIS experts have constantly warned about the threat of suppression of American systems Defense and missile defense by the enemy:

After all, when we initiate combat operations, we suppress the enemy's air defenses within the first hour. This is a basic step. However, we have demonstrated criminal recklessness in dealing with the threat of complex and massive combined strikes.

AN/TPY-2 radar:

As he explained, command had neglected to create an air defense shield at lower echelons, while short-range air defense (SHORAD) systems were supposed to counter UAVs and other similar threats. This led to tragic consequences:

In the wider community, it seems no one knows about any air defense systems below the Patriot level. Now we're seeing people start to panic.

He believes that ballistic missiles Not much breaks through. The problem is mainly related to drones:

We took air superiority for granted. So we neglected short-range air defense systems.

To effectively combat drone swarms, Karako proposes deploying the LIDS system in the military, which uses drones- Coyote interceptors of both kinetic and non-kinetic effects.

Comments

[Denis_999]

However, we have shown criminal carelessness in relation to threats in the form of complex and massive combined attacks.

A universal phrase. Many countries can easily slap their national flags on it...

[Zaurbek]

Have we heard anything similar from our generals about the 404th air defense and its breakthrough?

[Hunter 2]

Thanks to Iran for a possible corridor for our Strategic Missile Forces

[Zaurbek]

Iran could have been given a price for the destruction of NATO radars in the region.
There are still some left in Cyprus and Turkey, I also saw some in Crete.

[nepunamemuk]

Commanders neglected to create an anti-aircraft shield at lower echelons, while short-range air defense (SHORAD) systems were supposed to counter UAVs and other similar threats. This led to tragic consequences.

Fire a couple of generals without a pension and everything will be fine 😇

[Andrei Nikolaevich]

Apparently they also have their own "reformers" and "tank biathlons" there.

[pudelartemon]

What if one of them is gay?
What a scandal this will cause!

[nepunamemuk]

They've already kicked out all the obvious homosexuals there🫣
All that's left is to fire the incompetent ones😇

[bukhach]

What do you mean - only incompetent faggots?

[Sergey3]

I suspect even the US will be financially strapped if they start building a layered air defense system for all these facilities around the world. This is just one local conflict, and they've already scooped up air defenses and missiles for them from all over the world. But what if a real mess breaks out, like World War III? How will they patch up this expensive treasury?

[Skobaristan]

You've given me an interesting thought. Is it true that World War III breaks out tomorrow? And let it be without nuclear weapons (a horse in a spherical vacuum). Well, first of all, that would immediately put industry on a war footing. So, not right away, but it would be possible to increase production of, say, air defense missiles. Yes, they'll probably be simpler. If this drags on. But the adversaries' offensive capabilities will also be reduced, so what's the point of needing air defense? So, purely theoretically, in a protracted conflict, everyone will reach a point of simplification, and the most basic UAVs will be flying, while air defense will be mostly cannon-based. The big targets will be protected (and attacked) by the remnants of expensive systems... and then they'll explode, but only later.

[Sergey3]

Well, we almost reached this point in the war with Iran, so everyone immediately needed a ceasefire: some to pull troops together and bring back the rest of the air defense missiles, others to dig up the buried doors to underground storage facilities.

[Skobaristan]

I see the question as a bit more complex. But we're talking about your World War III scenario. And if we're talking about what happened specifically in this conflict, the US really miscalculated. They lost their early warning radars. That's a real flaw in their planning.

[Sergey3]

This is a real flaw in the planning.

They simply didn't expect Iran to go all in. There was no need to assassinate their leaders so cynically; Iran would have been more accommodating, and the radars would have been intact.

[Skobaristan]

I wouldn't be so categorical. We only see what we're allowed to see. Yes, there's an opinion that the former Khomeini was a more moderate strategist. But it's not a given that he wouldn't have reacted just as harshly when the strikes on Iran began. It's all politics, and there's too much uncertainty and secrecy in it. Discussing air defenses and their role in World War III is more understandable, predictable, and even interesting to me.

[The popuas]

Most likely, the AI ​​geldings Iran compared with Russia

[Skobaristan]

An attempt to belittle Russia, how sweet.) The Russian leadership made a decision, a difficult one, to launch a ground operation. Neither Iran nor the mattress-makers can do that. But that's what it is, right?

[Gavrilo Princip]

And now they're trying to reach an agreement with the mattress makers who supply weapons to Ukraine. But we know it's part of a cunning plan.

[Skobaristan]

Decided to support your "colleague"? ) I understand.

[Gavrilo Princip]

No, I cited a factual statement. Did I write something wrong? Negotiations are ongoing, weapons are being supplied to Ukraine. While Iran was negotiating with them, they started bombing it.

[Skobaristan]

An article about the destruction of US early warning radars in the Middle East. A Papuan came to "drag Russia into the comments thread where there's no way to drag it in at all. You picked it up. It's all transparent, after all. You know this, I know this. Okay then.

[Gavrilo Princip]

You know, I'm glad the US early warning radars were destroyed. At least someone had the courage and composure to avoid worrying.

[Skobaristan]

You know, I'll even play a game about what you're trying to do. Yes. Iran only says in words that the state of Israel must disappear. So preoccupied. But Russia is doing something on the ground. Reclaiming its outskirts.

[Gavrilo Princip]

Their capabilities are different, don't you think? Where's the Israeli economy, with its advanced military and America and its other lackeys backing it, and where's Iran, which doesn't have nuclear weapons and is under sanctions, giving both Israel and America a run for their money without the spirit of Anchorage? By the way, have you seen the video of the searches at Kolesov's Spanish villas, the head of JSC Concern Radio-Electronic Technologies? It's a NATO country. Watch it and let me know what you think. Thank you.

[Skobaristan]

You've disappointed me. So I can only repeat: I know, you know why you're here... Okay then. But yeah, I expected something more interesting from Princip, but it turned out to be just Priest Gapon.

[Gavrilo Princip]

Of course I'm disappointed, you have nothing to say. But will you still share your opinion about the searches at Kolesov's villas?

[Skobaristan]

I came to a shootout with normal guys... (C) and here you are, dull and tedious: what's going on with the searches at Villas? (C) what's going on there... Well, that doesn't work. That's been a sham since '14, it's gone bad. I'm telling you, you're not up to the job of Princip. You won't be a triggerman. The topic is about how the US lost radars because they were able to provide defense on the last line. That's it. Period.

[Gavrilo Princip]

I came to a shootout with normal guys... (C)

Looks like you got hit pretty hard during the last shootout. To the head with a stool.

That's all. Period.

Well, it's not up to you to decide where to end it. Forum members' opinions are interesting. Is it difficult for you to express your opinion on the searches of the defense plant manager's villas in a NATO country? And the Iranians, yes, did well, they knocked out US radars, and not just radars. Instead of dreary speeches, we have actions aimed at defeating the enemy in the form of global imperialism.

[Illanatol]

Then this AI should have warned that Iran would be the first to launch a strategic war against American bases in the region.
More likely, the AI ​​simply decided to troll its creators/users, and they fell for it. And now the AI ​​is laughing mechanically; it's not its problem.

[drags33]

Well, Donald, go collect the fruits of "victory" ))))) There's a whole bag of them here....

[Prisoner]

"In the wider community, it seems no one knows about any air defense systems below the Patriot level. Now we're seeing people start to panic..." (c) They have people there?! That's weird, I thought it was just reptilians - aliens bustling about there.

[BMP-2]

These "people" are so strange: the strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities didn't cause them to panic, but then some radar appeared and panic ensued!

[Prisoner]

So they are a "supernation", and around them there is "precious" bio-waste. One word - bastards!

[rocket757]

Attack drones are a real force in the right hands...
And now it turns out they have cleared the way for more powerful missile weapons systems...
And again we return to the obvious... no one can repel a massive, complex attack from the enemy!!!

[Mikhail3]

Well, yes. They're right. But... The radars themselves cost billions. And their existing defenses are no less. It's possible to build an effective low-altitude defense against CURRENT drones. And it will cost as much as the radars and their failed defenses. Because the American approach to such matters is to overwhelm them en masse. Against an enemy drone, we'll launch about fifty...
However, today's drones are a thing of the past. Hopelessly outdated. Next time, poor countries will make completely different drones. And defense will be the same again... And serious countries will increase their hypersonic capabilities, against which there is basically no defense.
The very concept is crumbling. What did military minds think just yesterday? The more expensive and modern a system, the more invulnerable it is. Ordinary minds, those without shoulder straps and especially without a sword belt, have long since seriously doubted this. But military minds have never listened to these "damned smart alecks." For a military mind to stir, its own soldiers must be sacrificed. At least a few thousand. Then a sluggish movement begins...
We need to build our defense and security differently now. Without leviathan-like systems. Everything should be smaller, cheaper, and much more effective. But those responsible for defense are incredibly uncomfortable with such ideas. For many obvious reasons...

[Eugene Zaboy]

To effectively combat drone swarms, Karako proposes deploying the LIDS system, which uses Coyote interceptor drones with both kinetic and non-kinetic effects, to the military.

The Coyote-3 will be effective against the low-speed Shahed, but it's unlikely to be effective against the Geranium-3, which has a turbojet engine. After all, intercepting craft with similar speeds is difficult.

[faterdom]

But haven't the Americans been building a missile defense system against Iran for 15 years in Romania and Poland?
So what, they didn’t help with Iran?
Iran didn't shell them - they should work!

[Alexander I]

Not everyone will understand your sarcasm, I removed the minus)))