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Missile defense starts with sensors that can detect a launch within seconds. One of the main radars used with Thad The AN/TPY-2 is a high-frequency, X-band radar designed to track small, fast-moving objects over long distances.
The radar can detect and track ballistic missiles hundreds of kilometers away, track objects moving at hypersonic speeds and transmit that data to command centers in real time.
Once a missile launch is detected, defense systems calculate its trajectory and determine the location of the missile at a certain moment in the flight. Interceptor missiles are then launched to meet them at that exact point in space.
Why is intercepting ballistic missiles so difficult?
Ballistic missiles travel very fast. Some of them reach speeds of more than 20,000 km per hour, fast enough to cross the entire UAE in just minutes. Because of these speeds, defense systems often have only minutes to detect and track. And intercept the missile before it descends towards its target.
To respond within that narrow window, missile defense systems rely on multiple technologies working together: early warning sensors to detect launches, radar networks to track the threat, and interceptor missiles designed to destroy it mid-flight.
Expanding missile defense systems across the Gulf It was driven This is largely due to the rapid development of ballistic missile arsenals in the region. Iran is widely viewed as having one of… The largest ballistic missile Stocks in the Middle East.
as a result of, The Gulf countries spent more From a a contract Investing in radar systems, interceptors and command networks designed to protect critical infrastructure, major cities and military installations. The UAE hosts several major military installations, including Al Dhafra Air Base, which houses Emirati and American forces.
Even when the missile is successfully destroyed, the danger does not completely disappear.
Intercepted missiles can disintegrate at high altitudes, sending fragments falling back towards the ground. In some cases, debris can still cause damage if it falls in populated areas. Saturday’s incident illustrates this danger: Although incoming missiles were intercepted before impact, falling debris from one of the interceptors killed a civilian in Abu Dhabi.
This story originally appeared on Wired Middle East.