Iran destroys critical $300 million US radar system in Jordan: Bloomberg

2026-03-07 - 13:24

A senior US official has confirmed to Bloomberg that a sophisticated American radar system, valued at approximately US$300 million, was destroyed during the opening salvos of the current conflict. The loss of the unit, which is integral to the regional missile defense architecture, threatens to significantly degrade the ability of US and allied forces to intercept incoming ballistic threats across the Gulf. Satellite evidence of the strike Satellite imagery initially obtained by CNN and later analyzed by Bloomberg reveals the total destruction of an AN/TPY-II radar and its associated support equipment. The hardware, manufactured by RTX Corp (formerly Raytheon), was deployed as part of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery stationed at the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan. A American official subsequently verified the report, marking one of the most expensive and strategically damaging equipment losses for the US in the region to date. A blow to global THAAD capacity The destruction of this specific radar unit carries global implications for America’s readiness. According to data from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the US maintains only eight THAAD systems worldwide, with critical deployments in South Korea and Guam. Each complete THAAD battery carries a roughly billion-dollar price tag, with the AN/TPY-II radar alone accounting for nearly a third of that cost. Unlike standard radar systems, the TPY-II is a high-resolution, X-band tracker capable of detecting and intercepting ballistic missiles in their terminal phase, making it a “crown jewel” of American defense technology.