The Secret Behind the Failure of Saudi Patriot Systems to Protect Riyadh Airport / How Did the Houthis Deceive Air Defense Systems?

The Houthis' attack on Riyadh airport in Saudi Arabia revealed why the airport's air defense systems were ineffective. Notably, this is the same tactic Iran also used in its missile attacks on Israel.

The Associated Press has explained the reason for the inefficiency of the airport's defense systems in a report on the attack by the Yemeni Houthis on Riyadh Airport in Saudi Arabia.

It should be noted that this is the same tactic that Iran also benefited from in its missile attacks on Israel.

According to Ambassador Arjan, he reported that Saudi Arabia has started an investigation to determine the reason for the failure of the country's air defense systems in intercepting missiles and drones of Yemen's Ansarullah; Attacks, one of which targeted the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, killing at least 13 people and injuring more than 300 people.

According to the Associated Press, two regional officials, who did not want to be named, announced that initial investigations show that Ansarullah forces first launched several drones and then fired a series of cruise and ballistic missiles towards Riyadh Airport.

According to this report, one of the main axes of the research is to determine the reason for the inability of the defense systems to intercept these attacks and also why the early warning about the approach of missiles and drones was not issued.

It is said that the attacking projectiles have traveled a distance of more than a thousand kilometers to reach Riyadh. Officials cited by the Associated Press have also pointed out the ability of some Ansarullah missiles to change course during flight; A capability that could make them more difficult for systems like the Patriot to intercept.

These attacks, along with similar cases against Saudi airports in recent days, have raised questions about the level of readiness and efficiency of the country's air defense network.

The role of drones in the passage of missiles through defense systems

One of the most important points raised in the Associated Press report is the possibility of using a combination of drones and missiles to complicate air defense operations.

In hybrid attacks, defense systems must identify and evaluate multiple targets simultaneously and decide how to deal with them according to the type of threat.

The existence of multiple targets can increase operational pressure on radar systems, command centers and interceptor missiles; However, the extent of the influence of these factors in the attack on Riyadh airport has not yet been determined independently.

According to the initial narrative of the regional authorities, the drones were launched before the cruise and ballistic missiles. However, the published report does not provide enough technical details about the exact number of drones, their flight path, the timing of the attack or the type of defense systems involved.

Ballistic missiles and the Patriot interception challenge

In its report, the Associated Press has also mentioned the missile capabilities of Yemen's Houthis. According to this report, some ballistic missiles and their warheads have the ability to change course during flight; A capability that, if used effectively, can make it more difficult for air defense systems to intercept them.

The Patriot system is one of the well-known Saudi air defense equipment, which is used to deal with some missile and air threats. However, the success of any interceptor system depends on factors such as the type of attacking missile, flight path characteristics, target detection time, radar information quality, and operational conditions.

The Associated Press report did not specify exactly what type of missiles were used in the attack on the Riyadh airport or whether the ability to change the direction of the warheads played a direct role in the attack.

Nevertheless, the issue of Yemen's Ansarullah missile capabilities shows that Saudi research is not limited to the number of intercepted missiles, and probably different aspects of identifying, deciding and dealing with aerial threats should also be investigated.

One of the important questions in the case of attacks on Riyadh airport is the reason for not issuing an early warning. According to one of the regional officials quoted by the Associated Press, the investigation of this matter is part of the ongoing investigation of Saudi Arabia.

Early warning systems try to detect air threats before they reach sensitive areas by using detection tools and radar information. The information obtained from this process must be transferred to the command centers and defense units in order to provide the opportunity to evaluate the threat and take the necessary measures.

In case of confirming the existence of defects in this process, it is necessary to specify that the problem was related to the initial identification of targets, information transfer, coordination between different systems or other operational factors.

Casualties of attacks and closure of Riyadh airport

The reported attacks have seriously disrupted the operation of the King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital. According to the information presented in the Associated Press report, this Ambassador Arjan announced that at least 13 people were killed and more than 300 people were injured.

According to preliminary information, the airport has been declared closed at least until Saturday, October 17, and airlines have stopped their flights to Riyadh. The closure of the capital's airport can affect the movement of passengers, the schedule of international flights and air transport activities.