More THAAD

The Strategy Page ^ | 10/24/2009 | The Strategy Page

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The U.S. Army has formed its second THAAD anti-ballistic missile (ABM) battery. The first battery was formed last year, and will be ready for combat next year. Next, the army will form two more THAAD batteries over the next three years.

Three years ago, there was a successful test of THAAD (a SCUD type target was destroyed in flight) using a crew of soldiers for the first time, and not manufacturer technicians, to operate the system. Each THAAD battery has 24 missiles, three launchers and a fire control communications system. This includes an X-Band radar. The gear for each battery costs $310 million. The 18 foot long THAAD missiles weigh 1,400 pounds. This is about the same size as the Patriot anti-aircraft missile, but twice the weight of the anti-missile version of the Patriot.

The range of THAAD is 200 kilometers, max altitude is 150 kilometers, and it is intended for short (like SCUD) or medium range (up to 2,000 kilometer) range ballistic missiles. THAAD has been in development for two decades. Ultimately, the army would like to buy at least 18 launchers, 1,400 missiles, and 18 radars. THAAD is a step up from the Patriot PAC-3 anti-missile (which is an anti-aircraft missile adapted to take out incoming missiles). The PAC-3 works, but it has limited (20 kilometers) range.

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YES?

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Article from PR Newswire

THAAD Needed By NATO and the United States to Protect Europe

WASHINGTON, Oct. 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Riki Ellison, Chairman and President of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance (MDAA) -- www.missiledefenseadvocacy.org -- explains the importance of the nation's Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system and what it means to Europe and the United States in a message to the members of MDAA. He also praised the recent activation of the Army for its second THAAD system that will become a part of our nation's missile defense layered system. He further explains that it is an important part of the new missile defense architecture, and that a THAAD unit will participate in a joint exercise with Israel. His remarks are as follows:

"Last week in El Paso, Texas at Fort Bliss, the second THAAD battery and its 99 United States Army Soldiers were activated. The THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) is a integral part of a layered missile defense system that our President, the Secretary of Defense and U.S. Congress fully endorse and is part of the 'new missile defense architecture' for the protection of our deployed troops overseas and allies."

"This unique system intercepts in a transitional area between earth's atmosphere and space to include a range of 20 miles below and above the 62 mile or 100 kilometer line. None of the current or future deployed missile defense systems intercept in this vertical space. Because of this vertical engagement area capability, the THAAD system can take multiple shots and use the atmosphere to strip off debris and countermeasures to better target the incoming warhead. The larger land-based missile defense system, the GBIs as well as the sea-based missile defense system, the Aegis and SM-3, intercept above the 100k line at a higher altitudes in space, while the Patriot System ground-based system intercepts missiles in air below the atmosphere."

"Applying all of these defensive systems creates a 'layered defense' which makes it very challenging to the calculus of an attacker to have confidence in an offensive ballistic missile being successful. A 'layered defense' provides multiple defensive shots with the ability to look each time before shooting again, thus through multiple-shot doctrines and redundancy creates very high successful probabilities in the capability to defend an area from ballistic missiles. This deployed military concept and tactic further de-incentivizes the attacker from investing in ballistic missiles as well as creates extreme technical challenges to build countermeasures to defeat a 'layered defense.'"

"The THAAD battery consists of about 24 interceptors housed in three mobile launchers, supported by a THAAD mobile x-band radar (AN-TPY-2), four 5-ton trucks for fire control and communications that will be operated and maintained by these 99 US army soldiers from Fort Bliss, Texas. The system is land-mobile and can be transported quickly by C-17s or C-5s anywhere on the globe. This THAAD activation is the second of seven that are currently planned over the next few years. The US Army could require up to 13 THAAD batteries, as forthcoming JTAMDO Joint Theater Air and Missile Defense Office studies may request in the future. The United States Congress has approved the sale of 3 THAAD Batteries for foreign sales to United Arab Emirates. Countries in the Middle East and in East Asia like Japan are interested in acquiring this system to complement their existing missile defense systems to add another layer of defense."

"It is to be noted, that the President Obama's 'new missile defense architecture' requires multiple sea and land based Aegis SM3 missile defense systems deployed in and around Europe for a space engagement intercept layer of defense against the proliferation of short to medium range missiles. Multiple THAAD deployed batteries would need to supplement all of those Aegis Systems in Europe to give our allies and troops based there the most effective and practical protection. The United States, NATO and our allies must pursue and deploy this capability to provide the necessary protection against the ballistic missile threat they are most concerned about."

"In sum, there has been an increase of over 1,200 additional ballistic missiles over the past 5 years, bringing the total of ballistic missiles outside the U.S., NATO, Russia and China to over 5,900 (with SRBMs making up 93% of this total and MRBMs making up 6%), with hundreds of launchers and missiles within the range of our deployed forces today (with SRBM launchers making up 91% of this total and MRBM launchers making up 9%)."

Lt Gen Pat O'Riely Director MDA

"Next month, a U.S. THAAD unit with its soldiers will be used in joint exercises in Israel and will be an essential part of a defensive system to defend Israel from ballistic missiles. The following month in December this year THAAD will test its 11th flight test against a complex target in Kauai, Hawaii at the Pacific Missile Range Facility PMRF. THAAD is currently six out of six in intercept tests."

Ellison closed his remarks to the members of MDAA with the following comment: "We congratulate and greatly appreciate the service of the 99 soldiers in the 11th Air Defense Brigade of the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command for making our forward deployed troops overseas and our allies safer."

Riki Ellison is available for on the record interviews on all aspects of missile defense. Call 602 885-1955 to arrange an interview.

Source: THAAD Needed By NATO and the United States to Protect Europe