Terminal High Altitude Area Defense

Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)
A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense interceptor being fired during an exercise in 2013
Type	Anti-ballistic missile system
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	2008–present
Used by	United States Army
Production history
Designed	1987
Manufacturer	Lockheed Martin
Produced	2008–present
No. built	numerous
Specifications
Weight	900 kg
Length	6.17 m
Diameter	34 cm
Operational range	>200 km
Speed	Mach 8.24 or 2.8 km/s
Guidance system	Indium antimonide Imaging Infra-Red Seeker Head

Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), formerly Theater High Altitude Area Defense, is a United States Army anti-ballistic missile system which is designed to shoot down short, medium, and intermediate range ballistic missiles in their terminal phase using a hit-to-kill approach. THAAD was developed after the experience of Iraq's Scud missile attacks during the Gulf War in 1991. The missile carries no warhead, but relies on the kinetic energy of impact to destroy the incoming missile. A kinetic energy hit minimizes the risk of exploding conventional warhead ballistic missiles, and nuclear tipped ballistic missiles will not detonate upon a kinetic energy hit.

Originally a US Army program, THAAD has come under the umbrella of the Missile Defense Agency. The Navy has a similar program, the sea-based Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System, which now has a land component as well ("Aegis ashore"). THAAD was originally scheduled for deployment in 2012, but initial deployment took place in May 2008. THAAD has been deployed in the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and South Korea.

The THAAD system is being designed, built, and integrated by Lockheed Martin Space Systems acting as prime contractor. Key subcontractors include Raytheon, Boeing, Aerojet, Rocketdyne, Honeywell, BAE Systems, Oshkosh Defense, MiltonCAT and the Oliver Capital Consortium.