THAAD: Reach Out and Touch Ballistic Missiles
Feb 06, 2012 17:15 EST
(click to view full)
5-year upgrades contract; DOT&E testing report. (Feb 3/12)
The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system is a long-range, land-based theater defense weapon that acts as the upper tier of a basic 2-tiered defense against ballistic missiles. It’s designed to intercept missiles during late mid-course or final stage flight, flying at high altitudes within and even outside the atmosphere. This allows it to provide broad area coverage against threats to critical assets such as population centers and industrial resources as well as military forces, hence its previous “theater (of operations) high altitude area defense” designation.
This capability makes THAAD different from a Patriot PAC-3 or the future MEADS system, which are point defense options with limited range that are designed to hit a missile or warhead just before impact. The SM-3 Standard missile is a far better comparison, and land-based SM-3 programs will make it a direct THAAD competitor. Thus far, both programs remain underway:
- The THAAD System: Further Details
- The THAAD Program
- Contracts and Key Events [updated]
- Additional Readings & Sources
Subscribe now to DII and stay on top of technical developments, and contract news involving the THAAD theater missile and air defense system:
- The THAAD system, its components, and estimated performance;
- Major industrial participants;
- THAAD program plans and testing;
- Tracking of USD billions in contracts and orders, including export requests;
- Numerous photos and illustrations;
- Additional research resources
Subscribe now to the Defense Industry Insider. DII covers hundreds of defense procurement programs, and gives thousands of links, expert analysis and the latest industry news.
