Terminal
High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Theater High Altitude Area Defense, is an
American anti-ballistic missile defense system designed to shoot down short-,
medium-, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles in their terminal phase
(descent or reentry) by intercepting with a hit-to-kill approach and It is a
transportable system that intercepts ballistic missiles inside or outside the
atmosphere during their final, or terminal, phase of flight. The THAAD
interceptor carries no warhead, but relies on its kinetic energy of impact to
destroy the incoming missile. THAAD uses a one-stage hit-to-kill interceptor to
destroy incoming ballistic missile targets.
THAAD is able to intercept incoming
missiles both inside and just outside of the Earth’s atmosphere at a range of
200 kilometers, which mitigates the effects of weapons of mass destruction
before they reach the ground. A kinetic energy hit minimizes the risk of
exploding conventional-warhead ballistic missiles, and the warhead of
nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles will not detonate upon a kinetic-energy hit. The
ability to intercept both inside and outside the atmosphere makes THAAD an
important part of layered missile defense concepts, as it falls between the
exclusively exo-atmospheric Aegis interceptors and the exclusively
endo-atmospheric Patriot interceptors.
Specifications
The first of two Terminal High
Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors is launched during a successful
intercept test - US Army.
A Terminal High Altitude Area
Defense interceptor being fired during an exercise in 2013
Type - Mobile anti-ballistic
missile system
Place of origin- U.S
Service history
In service - 2008–present
Used by - United States Army
Production history
Designed - 1987
Manufacturer - Lockheed Martin
Produced - 2008–present
Mass - 900 kg
Length - 6.17 m
Diameter - 34 cm
Engine -Single-stage rocket
Propellant - Pratt & Whitney
solid-fueled rocket
Operationa range - >200 km
Flight ceiling - 150 km
Flight altitude - 93 miles (150 km)
Speed - Mach 8.24 (2.8 km/s)
Guidance system - Indium-antimonide
imaging infra-red seeker head
Accuracy -0m (Hit to kill)
Transport - TEL
