Houthi attacks in the Red Sea are increasing, using anti-ship ballistic missiles, which has prompted countries to increase their investments in integrated air and missile defense systems to secure vital maritime shipping lanes and counter growing threats.
Experts and defense officials told Reuters that Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have prompted Asian countries to increase their interest in air and missile defense systems.
Countries are not only interested in countering ballistic missiles, but also “low-level” air threats, such as drones that are launched simultaneously with major attacks in the Red Sea.
The cost of interception missiles
According to the “National Interest”, the Houthis use cheap missiles and drones, with the cost of a single drone not exceeding $2,000, while the US military uses air defense missiles that cost between $1 million and $4 million each.
Military expert Colonel Zafer Murad confirms to “Defense Arabia” that the risk of escalation is the main concern at the moment, as the United States is approaching a full-scale war in the Red Sea. Since the start of Operations, the United States has brought its allies to the region to be partners not only in the cost of the war and engagement in it, but also to participate in enshrining the state of “deterrence” against its enemies.
The expert adds that the United States and its Western allies are facing the dilemma of the high cost and great effort in this confrontation, versus the modest cost and little effort on the part of the Houthis, in a war that may last for a long time.
Murad says that on a conceptual level, we can put the confrontations in the Red Sea in the framework of asymmetric warfare, but in its naval version. Despite the large difference in power levels between the Houthis on the one hand, and the Washington naval alliance on the other hand, which was also supported by the European Union to protect navigation in the Red Sea, the Houthis are still capable of achieving confirmed hits and threatening civilian and military ships to a great extent.
In this context, the military expert points out that American defensive missiles may be much more expensive than offensive missiles. This difference is due to the high technical requirements and high cost of modern air defense systems, where the success rate in interception must exceed 90%, especially in protecting strategic and sensitive targets. In order for these defense systems to achieve this high success rate, it requires first, early warning radars for attacking missiles, so that the defense system can prepare for response, second, continuous tracking of the target and recording its coordinates, third, that the air defense missiles be superior in speed to the attacking missiles, so that they can track and destroy them before they reach their target, and fourth, accuracy and effectiveness of the hit and confirmation of the destruction of the target.
Colonel Murad continues by saying: “The confrontations in the Red Sea put air defense and ship protection systems to a difficult and perhaps unprecedented test, as the circumstances and nature of the engagement may deprive advanced technology of its characteristics. Therefore, the companies that manufacture air and naval defense systems, especially the Western ones, will put their weight in research and development to find solutions to the challenges resulting from the threats of missiles, aircraft, and unmanned boats, and unguided projectiles.”
He adds: “We should not focus on the cost of defense systems as much as we should focus on their effectiveness and accuracy as required in the circumstances of confrontations such as those in the Red Sea, where it is believed that the performance of these systems was not at the required level.”
Types of missiles used in the Red Sea
Missile defense systems have proven effective in intercepting anti-ship ballistic missiles, especially when in range of a warship. Systems such as “Aegis” from Lockheed Martin are used on board US Navy destroyers to intercept threats.
Aegis uses SM-2, SM-3, and SM-6 missiles from Raytheon, a subsidiary of RTX, and Sparrow missiles are used to shoot down drones.
The price of an SM-2 missile is about $2.1 million, the cost of an SM-6 is about $4.3 million, and the cost of a Sparrow missile is $1.7 million, according to the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance.
Colonel Mazaffar Murad also points out that ships cannot reload ammunition while at sea and that they must return to port to reload.
He adds that the Pentagon spent $12.3 billion on its missile defense programs in 2022 and $24.7 billion on its missiles and ammunition, and that the stockpile of missiles is large.
According to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, these countries include the United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles, and Spain.
Interestingly, it does not include NATO ally Turkey or Saudi Arabia.
Types of Offensive Missiles Used in the Red Sea:
- According to the Russian news agency RIA Novosti, the Houthi arsenal includes cruise and ballistic missiles to target ships, the most prominent of which are:
- Rubiz (P-21/22): A Soviet missile with a range of 80 kilometers.
- Al Mandab-1 (C-801): A Chinese missile with a range of 40 kilometers.
- Al Mandab-2 (Ghadir): An Iranian missile with a range of 300 kilometers.
- Sayyad (Bavi-351): An Iranian missile with a range of 800 kilometers.
- Quds (Bavi-351): An Iranian missile with a range of 800 kilometers.
- Sejjil: An Iranian missile with a range of 180 kilometers.
Houthi Ballistic Missiles:
- The Houthi arsenal also includes ballistic missiles, the most prominent of which are:
- Mohait: A version of the Russian SA-2 modified with Iranian guidance systems.
- Assef: A version of the Iranian anti-ship missile Fatah-313.
- Tankeel: A version of the Iranian Raad-500.
- Falak: A missile with a range of 140 kilometers.
- Red Sea: A missile with an unknown range.
- Mayun: A missile with an unknown range.
- All of these missiles use guidance systems based on electronic vision and infrared technology.
The situation in the Red Sea remains complex and volatile. Addressing the challenges posed by Houthi attacks will require a multifaceted approach that combines military deterrence, technological advancements, diplomatic efforts, and a focus on addressing the underlying causes of the conflict.
It is important to note that these are just potential future developments, and the actual course of events will depend on various factors, including the actions of the Houthis, the response of the international community, and ongoing diplomatic efforts.
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