Posted on 07/26/2017 5:53:08 PM PDT by Excuse_My_Bellicosity
The U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA), the Ballistic Missile Defense System Operational Test Agency, and U.S. Army soldiers of the 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade from Fort Bliss, Texas, conducted an intercept test today of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) element of the nation’s ballistic missile defense system.
The test, designated Flight Test THAAD (FTT)-18, was executed by MDA, supported by elements of the U.S. Army, Joint Forces Component Command for Integrated Missile Defense, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Coast Guard, Pacific Spaceport Complex Alaska (PSCA), Ballistic Missile Defense Operational Test Agency, DoD Operational Test and Evaluation, and the Army Test and Evaluation Command.
A ballistic missile target was air-launched by a U.S. Air Force C-17 over the Pacific Ocean north of Hawaii. A THAAD weapon system located at PSCA in Kodiak, Alaska, detected, tracked and intercepted the target. Preliminary indications are that planned flight test objectives were achieved and the threat-representative, intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) target was successfully intercepted by the THAAD weapon system.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the government and contractor team who executed this flight test today,” said MDA Director Lt. Gen. Sam Greaves. “This test further demonstrates the capabilities of the THAAD weapon system and its ability to intercept and destroy ballistic missile threats. THAAD continues to protect our citizens, deployed forces and allies from a real and growing threat.”
Soldiers from the 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade conducted launcher, fire control and radar operations using the same procedures they would use in an actual combat scenario. Soldiers operating the equipment were not aware of the actual target launch time.
This was the 14th successful intercept in 14 attempts for the THAAD weapon system. The THAAD element provides a globally-transportable, rapidly-deployable capability to intercept ballistic missiles inside or outside the atmosphere during their final, or terminal, phase of flight. THAAD is strictly a defense system. The system uses hit-to-kill technology whereby kinetic energy destroys the incoming target. The high-altitude intercept mitigates effects of enemy weapons before they reach the ground.
The successful demonstration of THAAD against an IRBM-range missile threat bolsters the country’s defensive capability against developing missile threats in North Korea and other countries around the globe and contributes to the broader strategic deterrence architecture.
The mission of MDA is to develop and deploy a layered ballistic missile defense system to defend the United States, its deployed forces, allies and friends from ballistic missile attacks of all ranges in all phases of flight.
Additional information about all elements of the ballistic missile defense system can be found here.
MDA Media Contact:
Chris Johnson, 571-231-8212, christopher.johnson@mda.mil
D’oh! Thanks.
This test was conducted about two weeks ago and was significantly discouraging to the screwball North Korean and IslamoNazi Iranian regimes.
THAAD will swat anything they've got.
Did the test include decoy warheads?
THAAD is designed to intercept just before the apogee, before warheads separate.
Thaad is advertised for engaging medium range missiles only, not ICBMs, or that is what they want us to think, who knows.
Perhaps it can engage ICBMs.
If that is the case would it be deployed domestically for defense against ICBMs?? Around US cities and bases??
In the 1950’s thru the 1970s the US had Nike Hercules bases around every US city and base. Like over 10,000 missiles, some having nuclear warheads on them, but they were advertised as useful only against bombers, but were dismantled as part of, or a result of the ABM treaty... so maybe they DID have an ABM capability?
Nice!
They should use it against Fat Nork’s next missle test.
I thought “terminal” meant it struck on descent.
Big time. They were testing THAAD 10 years ago at White Sands when I was out there, so this isn't something they just dusted off to try it. It's a proven system.
There’s tons of them still saying that. Whenever a missile defense system is tested, those morons come out in droves and post all over that it’ll never hit anything because the laws of physics won’t allow it. All of these bottom-percentile believers in global warming and garbage enviralist causes are all into science. Most of them are unaware that there isn’t air on the moon and think that an aircraft’s engines are what provide it lift.
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