U.S. Repositions Missile Batteries as Iran War Threat Looms
U.S. Air Force sharply increases cargo flights to Jordan with at least 11 C-17 arrivals, suggesting THAAD and Patriot missile defense system deployments amid Iran tensions.
The U.S. Air Force has sharply increased heavy-lift transport operations to the Middle East in recent days, with flight patterns indicating a significant repositioning of air and missile defense systems across the region.
At least 11 C-17 cargo aircraft from Robert Gray Army Airfield and Roosevelt Roads have landed in Jordan, according to flight-tracking data. The surge in airlift activity aligns with the movement of THAAD and Patriot air defense systems, military analysts say.
Separately, flights linked to Kadena Air Base in Japan have been routing through Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska, Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany, and Misawa Air Base in Japan, flight patterns typically associated with heavy equipment movement rather than routine personnel rotations, according to defense officials familiar with such operations.
The airlift activity is consistent with Patriot missile battery deployments, which require substantial logistical support to transport radar systems, launchers and interceptor missiles.
The military buildup comes as the U.S. has positioned the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and guided-missile destroyers in the region amid escalating tensions with Iran. President Trump has threatened military action against Tehran while leaving open the possibility of diplomatic negotiations.
The Pentagon declined to comment on specific troop or equipment movements.