The fight with Iran shows high-intensity modern wars hinge on having a substantial air defense arsenal

"The US and Israel's fight with Iran shows just how key air defenses have become in higher-intensity modern wars, conflicts increasingly defined by long-range missile and drone attacks. The conflict, which killed Iran's Supreme Leader, has been heavily focused on air defenses, either knocking them out to permit air operations or leaning hard on them to shield bases from retaliatory strikes."

"US Central Command on Saturday said the strikes on Iran aimed to "dismantle the Iranian regime's security apparatus" and prioritized locations "that posed an imminent threat," listing Iranian air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields as targets. The Israel Defense Forces said that they had "dismantled the majority of the aerial defense systems in western and central Iran.""

"Kuwait, home to installations like Ali Al Salem Air Base that hosts US troops, reported on Sunday that it had faced 97 ballistic missiles and 283 drones. Defeating this kind of barrage demands deep air defense arsenals. Having insufficient air defenses can leave a country severely vulnerable in a war of ranged strikes."

The US-Israel conflict with Iran demonstrates air defenses' central role in modern high-intensity warfare characterized by long-range missiles and drones. Joint strikes targeted Iran's air defense systems, missile launch sites, and military airfields to establish aerial superiority. Simultaneously, US and partner forces deployed extensive air defense arsenals to counter Iranian retaliatory strikes. Kuwait faced 97 ballistic missiles and 283 drones, illustrating the scale of attacks modern air defenses must defeat. Similar patterns appear in Ukraine and potential conflicts with Russia and China. Insufficient air defenses create severe vulnerability by enabling unopposed strikes, making them essential military infrastructure in contemporary conflicts.

Read at Business Insider