air defense
30
4.2
- noun
- /ɛr dɪˈfɛns/
- Specialized
:
defensa antiaérea
- During the drill, the air defense units successfully intercepted simulated enemy missiles.
- air defense system
- air defense missiles
- air defense radars
We must move from forward presence to forward defence and from air policing to air defence.
- We must move from forward presence to forward defence and from air policing to air defence.
- And they turn their radars not off, but they turn their radars to passive, meaning I guess in the, in the air defense world, that means like you're not going to fire.
- The Ukrainian air defense has been mostly eliminated, paving the way for Russia to potentially move forward.
- So if you have to take those air defense assets out, both the radars and the launchers and missiles, they could potentially be inside of Russia.
- In fact, Iran just got its shipment from Russia of air defense, munitions and weaponry.
Examples
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All of them were shot down by the Syrian air defense located there.
Blog text (30) -
There is no air defense system capable of functioning properly without an adequate command and control system.
Academic text (2015) -
And I would think air defense failure is not an option.
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We need an air defense team!
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All American air defense and satellite defense forces are on full alert.
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Russian air defenses have moved to their highest level.
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Look, our air defenses saved us from most of the bombs.
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More importantly, air defense systems are key and necessary components of most modern antiballistic missile systems.
Academic text (2015) -
The UAE operates both American- and French-made combat aircraft as well as air defense systems made in Russia.
Academic text (2015) -
As a result, Kuwait holds some of the largest Patriot forces in the region for both air defense and ballistic missile defense.
Academic text (2015)
How Effective
- Specialized
1
6.1
- Specialized
30
4.2
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'measures or systems protecting against attacking aircraft or missiles' is directly derivable from combining 'air' (relating to aircraft/aviation) with 'defense' (protection). This straightforward noun–noun composition is cross-linguistically common and follows transparent semantics that a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer.
Etymology
Air defense comes from a simple, literal picture: air means the sky and defense means protection. Imagine guns, missiles and radar forming a shield over a town to stop enemy planes, so it means 'measures or systems to protect against enemy aircraft or missiles'.