Newly released Pentagon photos confirmed that the United States has deployed its Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) system to South Korea, the first time the mobile air defense weapon has been stationed outside the U.S.
Images posted Thursday on the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service show Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George at Osan Air Base in Gyeonggi Province with U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) troops. A launcher identified as part of the IFPC is visible at a Patriot missile site in the background.
Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Randy George meets with leaders from the 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade and Soldiers from 6th Battalion, 52nd ADA in front of a launcher indirect fire protection capability system at a Patriot tactical site, Sept. 22, 2025 (South Korea). pic.twitter.com/VW9OUMoAZy
— AirPower 2.0 (MIL_STD) (@AirPowerNEW1) September 24, 2025
The United States Forces Korea declined to confirm specifics of the deployment, citing security concerns, but said the development aligns with its modernization plans.
“United States Forces Korea, in close coordination with our Republic of Korea allies, continually adjusts its posture to maintain a robust defense against any threat,” a spokesperson said in a statement to Newsweek.
The IFPC is designed to defend against drones, cruise missiles, and short-range projectiles such as rockets and artillery. Often called “America’s Iron Dome,” it complements higher-altitude systems like Patriot and THAAD by protecting bases and infrastructure from low-altitude or saturation attacks.
The deployment follows reports earlier this year that a prototype launcher would be sent to South Korea.
The deployment of the IFPC follows recent U.S. rotations of MQ-9A Reaper drones and the Army’s Athena-R reconnaissance aircraft to South Korea, along with expanded joint drills featuring F-35 fighters.
