Biden Orders Pentagon To Remove Patriot Systems, Forces From Persian Gulf Region - Reports

President Joe Biden has ordered the Department of Defense to start removing Patriot anti-missile systems, other military hardware and forces from the Persian Gulf region so that they can be deployed them elsewhere to counter Russia and China, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing officials knowledgeable with the matter

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 01st April, 2021) President Joe Biden has ordered the Department of Defense to start removing Patriot anti-missile systems, other military hardware and forces from the Persian Gulf region so that they can be deployed them elsewhere to counter Russia and China, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing officials knowledgeable with the matter.

The Defense Department has moved three Patriot systems out of the region, including one that was located in Saudi Arabia's Prince Sultan Air Base. It has also moved an aircraft carrier, surveillance systems and other military capabilities out of the middle East, the report said.

Some of the military hardware could be redeployed to focus on Russia and China, two countries which the Pentagon sees as its Primary global competitors, the report said.

US officials are considering proposals to pull additional military equipment out of the region, including a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD anti-missile system, surveillance drones and antimissile batteries.

The Defense Department declined to discuss details but generally confirmed the potential changes in the force deployment.

"Without speaking to specific capabilities, we continue to take a strategic approach to the allocation of forces and routinely make adjustments to account for a wide number of factors," Defense Department spokesperson Jessica McNulty told Sputnik.

McNulty said the US military continues working with combatant commanders and services in order to prove Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ideas on resource allocations for operations around the world according to priorities, threats and opportunities.

The report explained that part of the rationale for moving the equipment is that the United States wants Saudi Arabia to assume more of the burden of defending its own territory.

With that goal in mind, the Defense Department has assembled a "Tiger Team" of officials to explore ways to help Saudi Arabia protect its facilities and oil installations. Options under discussion include sales of missile interceptors, expanded intelligence sharing and additional military training, the report said.