The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense Weapon System (THAADTM ) is a key element of the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS). THAAD will provide rapidly deployable ground-based missile defense components that deepen, extend and complement the BMDS to any Combatant Commander to defeat ballistic missile of all types and ranges while in all phases of flight. THAAD’s combination of high-altitude, long-range capability and hit-to-kill lethality enables it to effectively negate the effects of weapons of mass destruction at intercept ranges well beyond the defended area. These attributes, along with THAAD’s unique endo-and exo-atmospheric capability, enlarge the battle space to allow multiple intercept opportunities in both the late-midcourse and terminal phases of ballistic missile trajectories. THAAD can accept cues from Aegis, satellites and other external sensors to further extend the battle space and defended area coverage. THAAD will operate in concert with the lower-tier PAC-3 system to provide increased levels of effectiveness. The THAAD element consists of five major components: missiles, launchers, radars, fire control; and THAAD-specific support equipment. All components have been successfully integrated, tested and demonstrated during the first program phase that concluded in 1999. Flight testing of the THAAD development program began in late 2005 with the first of 14 flight tests.
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