In a recent unprecedented drone and missile attack by Iran targeting Israel, it was revealed that the United States has deployed a MIM-104 Patriot missile defense system in Iraqi Kurdistan. This placement comes with several benefits for both the United States and its longstanding Kurdish ally. Out of the estimated 120 ballistic missiles fired by Tehran, one was shot down over Iraqi Kurdistan by a Patriot missile, leading to its remains landing in Soran, around 60 miles outside the capital city of Erbil.
Explosions were also heard in Erbil during the attack, potentially resulting from intercepts of the drones launched by Iran over Iraq at Israel. The United States had previously deployed a Patriot battery at its troop base in Erbil International Airport in 2020, following Iran’s ballistic missile attack against U.S. troops in Iraq. Since then, Iran-backed Iraqi militias have carried out destructive rocket and drone attacks against Iraqi Kurdistan, including direct attacks on urban areas in Erbil with ballistic missiles. These attacks have heightened the need for air defenses in the region.
The redeployment of a Patriot system in Iraqi Kurdistan is a welcome development for the Kurds, who have expressed an urgent need for air defenses. Kurdish Prime Minister Masrour Barzani emphasized this need in February, especially with tensions rising in the region following the Gaza war in October. The deployment of the Patriot system provides some assurance for the defense and security of Iraqi Kurdistan, given the lack of fighter jets in the region.
The 2024 National Defense Authorization Act includes provisions for training and equipping Iraqi Kurdistan’s Peshmerga armed forces with air defenses, although these are unlikely to be as advanced as the Patriot system. This deployment benefits the United States by protecting its soldiers against potential ballistic missile strikes and expanding its air and missile defense coverage in the region. The Patriot system also helps integrate regional air defense efforts, particularly in the absence of fighter jets in Iraqi Kurdistan.
The lack of Iraqi air force support in intercepting Iranian drones highlights the significance of the Patriot system in Iraqi Kurdistan. Iraq’s ground-based air defenses consist of medium-range Russian Pantsir-S1s and short-range American Avenger systems, limiting their capabilities. The placement of the Patriot system in Iraqi Kurdistan helps fill a gap in the region’s defense network and provides reassurance to a key regional partner that has come under increasing pressure in recent months. Given these factors, it is advisable for the United States to maintain the Patriot system in place until regional tensions ease significantly.
Overall, the deployment of the Patriot system in Iraqi Kurdistan benefits both the United States and the Kurdish allies by enhancing defense capabilities in the region and providing reassurance in the face of ongoing threats. This development underscores the importance of continued cooperation and support between the United States and Iraqi Kurdistan in addressing security challenges in the Middle East.
