Terminal High Altitude Area Defense

Reference:

• The US has announced the deployment of Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense or ‘THAAD’ system in Israel. The THAAD anti-ballistic missile defense system has been designed and manufactured by the American company Lockheed Martin.

About THAAD Missile Defense System:

• THAAD is basically an abbreviation of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD). It is a type of transferable and surface-based missile defense system. This system is designed to intercept and destroy short and medium-range ballistic missiles in the terminal phase of their flight.
  • It provides the capability for rapid deployment against short-range (up to 1,000 km), medium-range (1,000-3,000 km) and limited intermediate-range (3,000-5,000 km) ballistic missile threats, inside or outside the atmosphere.
  • In the final phase, ballistic missiles are descending from the highest altitude.
• First proposed in 1987 and finally deployed in 2008, the THAAD system cannot be used as a strike against the enemy.
• The primary role of this missile system is to track and destroy missiles before they are launched using a powerful radar.
• Each THAAD system consists of interceptors, launchers, radars, fire control units and support equipment.
• THAAD is connected to space-based and surface-based surveillance stations, which issue warnings by transferring data about incoming missiles and also inform the THAAD interceptor missile about the classification of the type of threat.
• THAAD is alerted about incoming missiles by space-based satellites with infrared sensors.

• The radar intercepts the incoming missile first. Any such threat is identified by the people operating the system who fire a projectile, called an interceptor, at the missile from a truck.
• Ultimately, the ballistic missile is destroyed by using only the projectile's kinetic energy. According to experts, the use of kinetic energy makes the anti-missile system safe as it does not use warheads to destroy missiles. 
• Using 'hit-to-kill' technology to destroy enemy missiles, THAAD can protect a larger area than the older Patriot air and missile defense system.
• Israel's 'Iron Dome' is a similar system that claims to have a missile interception success rate of about 90%.

Deployment of THAAD:

• The THAAD system was deployed in the state of Hawaii in the year 2009. Hawaii is the only island state of America located in the Pacific Ocean.
• Apart from this, the THAAD defense system has also been deployed in South Korea and Guam. Guam is located in the western Pacific Ocean.