Why Did Saudi Air Defenses Fail to Stop Attacks on Riyadh Airport?/ Ansarullah Neutralized Early Warning System

Saudi Arabia has launched an investigation into the performance of its air defense systems and the possible reasons attacking missiles and drones penetrated the kingdom's defense network, following missile and drone strikes on Riyadh airport.

According to Ambassador Arjan's international reporter, Saudi Arabia has started an investigation into the performance of its air defense systems after the recent attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. Attacks that once again put the vulnerability of critical infrastructure against missile and drone attacks in the center of attention.

Ambassador Arjan, quoting two regional officials, has reported that initial investigations show that the Yemeni Ansarullah first launched several drones to prepare the ground for cruise and ballistic missiles to pass through the Saudi air defense systems. These officials did not want to be named because they were not authorized to comment publicly.

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According to this report, one of the main axes of the research is to determine the possible cause of the failure of the defense systems in identifying and tracking the attacker's targets. It also examines why early warning systems have failed to issue the necessary warning about attacks or provide sufficient opportunity for a defensive response.

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 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, using detection tools and radar information, try to detect air threats before they reach critical areas. The information obtained from this process must be transferred to the command centers and defense units in order to provide the possibility of assessing the threat and taking 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 passenger movement, international flight schedules and air transport activities.

King Khalid Airport is one of the important transportation infrastructures of Saudi Arabia, and the disruption of its operation, in addition to the economic and operational consequences, highlights the importance of protecting civilian centers against air attacks.

Saudi Arabia's request to America and the regional dimensions of the crisis

The Associated Press has also pointed to Saudi Arabia's efforts to increase security cooperation with the United States. According to this report, Saudi officials have called for more direct participation of Washington in confronting the Houthis.

This is Ambassador Arjan, whose cooperation between the United States and Saudi Arabia has previously included areas such as information exchange, target identification, and operation planning; However, according to the aforementioned report, Washington had not launched direct attacks against Yemen's Ansarullah until its publication.

In case of continued attacks on Saudi Arabia's critical infrastructure, the issue of protecting airspace and increasing coordination among regional allies can become more important. However, the scope of any changes in the military cooperation of the two countries will depend on the official decisions and subsequent developments.