THAAD Missile Defense System Initially Capable In South Korea: Sources

One America News Network ^ | 5-1-2017 | Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali

[rxsid]

"Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)

Overview

Land-based element capable of shooting down a ballistic missile both inside and just outside the atmosphere. Highly effective against the asymmetric ballistic missile threats.

Uses hit-to-kill technology whereby kinetic energy destroys the incoming warhead.

The high-altitude intercept mitigates effects of enemy weapons of mass destruction before they reach the ground."

 

"Terminal High Altitude Area Defense

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."

Sounds like the general theory here is that the nuclear explosion would not take place...however, there would be radioactive debris that would fall to earth (i.e. mitigated effect of the nuke).

[KC_for_Freedom]

Yes What you said

[rxsid]

"Another means of "safing" weapons is to make them and their high explosive components as resistant as possible to accidental ignition during a fire or high-speed impact. A standard series of tests for new weapon designs include setting the weapon in the middle of a pool of burning jet aircraft fuel; detonating explosives near the weapon; drops from various heights; and rocket-driven impacts at speeds up to 1,500 MPH into unyielding concrete targets. All these tortures are intended to make the weapon as safe as possible against accidental detonation."
https://cryptome.org/nuke-fuze.htm

1. It's not 100% that a kenetic hit would cause the precise chain of events to occur precisely in order for the nuclear chain reaction to occur.
2. Even if it does cause the nuke to "go off", doing so much higher in the atmosphere is better than having it go off at it's intended altitude.

[rxsid]

"US nearly detonated atomic bomb over North Carolina – secret document
Friday 20 September 2013 12.03 EDT

The document, obtained by the investigative journalist Eric Schlosser under the Freedom of Information Act, gives the first conclusive evidence that the US was narrowly spared a disaster of monumental proportions when two Mark 39 hydrogen bombs were accidentally dropped over Goldsboro, North Carolina on 23 January 1961. The bombs fell to earth after a B-52 bomber broke up in mid-air, and one of the devices behaved precisely as a nuclear weapon was designed to behave in warfare: its parachute opened, its trigger mechanisms engaged, and only one low-voltage switch prevented untold carnage."
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/20/usaf-atomic-bomb-north-carolina-1961

 

"Goldsboro Broken Arrow

The second bomb plunged into a muddy field at around 300 meters per second (700 mph). The bomb tail assembly tail was buried in six meters of soil, but both the primary and secondary of the bomb smashed through the nose of the weapon and penetrated farther into the waterlogged farmland.

...

Calculations based on the weight and configuration of the secondary, impact angle and velocity, and soil composition placed the missing bomb components at a depth of 55 meters."
http://www.sonicbomb.com/modules.php?name=News&file=print&sid=112

Parts of one of the Mark 39 nuclear bomb went 55 meters (180 feet) deep after impacting the earth. Obviously, no nuclear explosion occurred even though that had to have been tremendous force involved.