The global price of oil continues to skyrocket while IranIts missiles and drones hit vital infrastructure in the Arab Gulf states. Billion dollar US radar systems have also been targeted and destroyed across the Middle East by Iran, seemingly degrading US defenses.
The US military presence near Iran spans dozens of locations and tens of thousands of troops in harm’s way. This begs the question: If a rocket is headed from Iran to a US military base in the region, how do service members know in time to stay safe?
The United States and its allies have built a layered system to see the sky day and night. This system uses satellites in space, radars on the ground, ships at sea and aircraft in the air.
US Army soldiers are supporting the most integrated air defense umbrella in the history of the Middle East. pic.twitter.com/2f7k2HAve1
— US Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 10, 2026
It also depends on well-trained military personnel from the US Space Command who make quick decisions with the data. As a former US Air Force officer and now a professor of aerospace and national security law at the University of Mississippi, I have studied the vast network of alliances and systems that make this happen.
Together, these tools form a missile defense network that can detect danger early and provide warnings. The fastest way to spot a missile is from space. American satellites, such as the US Space Force’s space-based infrared system, orbit high above the Earth. These billion-dollar satellites, the crown jewels of missile defense, can detect the radiant heat from a missile launch almost instantly.
When a rocket is launched, it creates a heat signal strong enough to be seen in space. Satellites detect this heat using sensitive infrared sensors and send an alert within seconds. This early warning is critical. It gives the military on land or at sea time to prepare defense systems.
The warning signal from space is then received on the ground by systems known as the US Space Force’s Joint Tactical Ground Stations. The signal is sent from space using secure satellite communications, received by these ground stations, and then quickly distributed to other parts of the missile defense network.
Missile detection and tracking radar
But satellites cannot do everything to detect and track missiles. They need help from the systems on Earth. After a missile is launched, ground-based radars pick up on the initial satellite signal. Radars work by sending radio waves. When those waves hit an object, like a rocket, they bounce back. The radar then uses that information to track where the object is and where it is going throughout its flight.
The US uses short and long range radars together. A powerful long-range radar is the AN/FPS-132 Enhanced Early Warning Radar. It can see missiles from over 3,000 miles (4,828 km) away and track them as they travel. Another key system is the US Army’s AN/TPY-2 Transportable Surveillance Radar. This radar has a range of almost 2,000 miles (3,219 km) and looks more closely at the missile to provide more information about the threat. TPY-2 systems are typically located next to the weapon systems that will destroy the missile to ensure timely transmission of tracking data.
In short, satellites detect the launch and radars follow the missile across the sky until defense systems destroy it.
However, Iranian forces recently downed a TPY-2 in Jordan and an FPS-132 in Qatar. These systems are expensive and difficult to replace quickly. This has required the US to move an additional TPY-2 from Korea to deploy it in the Middle East.
US missile defense tracking was certainly degraded by losing these resources, but other radars are still part of the network. For example, the US Space Force operates another FPS-132 in the UK, which could potentially provide radar support to the Middle East.
In addition to ground- and space-based sensors, US Navy ships carry powerful radar systems as part of their Aegis combat system, known as AN/SPY-1, which can provide up to 200 miles (322 km) of coverage. Ships can sail closer to areas where threats may come from and help fill in the gaps that land-based radars can’t cover.
US Air Force aircraft also play a major role. Aircraft like the E-3 Sentry can survey large areas using radar from the sky. Drones like the MQ-9 Reaper can stay in the air for long periods and track activity below with radar and sensors. These moving sensors help the system stay flexible. If an area needs more coverage or is degraded, ships and aircraft can move there to fill in.
Why drones are harder to catch
Drones require a different set of tracking tools and have proven more difficult to destroy than missiles from Iran. Older systems are simply better suited for missiles than new drone technology. To detect drones, the US usually uses several tools: radar; radio signal tracking, which can receive control signals; and cameras and other sensors, which can see the drones directly.
The missiles are fast and hot, which makes them easier to detect with current systems. Iranian drones, such as the Shahed system, are different. Their heat signature is often minimal due to the use of gas engines that are not easily detected by infrared sensors. Without this heat signature, that initial warning signal is delayed, making it difficult for the radar to know what to track.
Drones are usually smaller and fly low to the ground, making them difficult to see on radar. They can be hidden by buildings or difficult to distinguish from birds and other objects. Some are made of materials that don’t show up well on radar, such as fiberglass and plastic. Others move slowly, which can make them harder to notice or distinguish.
Many of Iran’s drones do not show up on radio signal detection systems because they cannot be remotely controlled. These drones are programmed with GPS coordinates and navigate themselves to a target.
Multiple methods
No single method works all the time to protect against drone attacks. Instead, these tools work together to locate and track drones. The US and its allies continue to upgrade their systems to intercept both missiles and drones. For example, the US is in discussions to buy acoustic sensors from Ukraine, which can hear incoming drones when they cannot be seen using other methods.
New sensors, better software and faster communication will help strengthen defenses. The goal is simple: Detect threats earlier, respond faster and hit the target faster.
