The Chosun Daily reported that the United States is considering the relocation of THAAD and Patriot missile defense systems from South Korea to the Middle East to prevent the depletion of its stockpiles.
اضافة اعلان
Military experts believe the transferable assets include:
Patriot Air Defense Systems deployed at U.S. bases in Korea.
A THAAD battery stationed in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province.
MQ-9 Reaper reconnaissance and surveillance drones, which have been permanently stationed at Kunsan Air Base since last year.
South Korean Concerns
South Korean experts expressed concern over the impact of this transfer on their national security. Shin Jong-woo, Secretary-General of the Korea Defense and Security Forum, stated: "If the airstrikes are prolonged, it is likely that the U.S. will utilize the combat capabilities and assets of the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK)."
Im Chol-gyun, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for Strategic Studies, added: "Given that South Korea faces ballistic missile threats from North Korea, the deployment of U.S. air defense assets to the Middle East could create significant problems from our perspective."
Previous Precedents and Inventory Shortages
In June of last year, prior to an operation targeting Iranian nuclear facilities, the U.S. withdrew three out of eight Patriot batteries from its forces in Korea to the Middle East, along with over 500 troops, in anticipation of potential retaliatory attacks from Iran. Those forces returned last October.
Just before the current conflict erupted, the Financial Times quoted a U.S. military official stating that "up to 150 THAAD interceptor missiles were exhausted during the 12-day war" last year, raising fears of a severe shortage in the defensive arsenal if the war is prolonged.
(Source: Chosun)
