Terminal High Altitude Area Defense
| MIM-144 THAAD | |
|---|---|
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| General Information | |
| Type | Anti-missile missile |
| Manufacturer | Raytheon |
| development | 1990 |
| Technical specifications | |
| length | 6170 mm |
| diameter | 340/370 mm |
| Combat weight | 900 kg |
| Drive First stage Second stage |
Solid - rocket engine solid rocket motor Kinetic Kill Vehicle (KKV) |
| speed | 2,800 m / s |
| Range | 200 km |
| Furnishing | |
| Target location | Inertial navigation platform plus in-flight data updates plus image processing IR seeker head |
| Warhead | Kinetic Kill Vehicle (KKV) |
| Weapon platforms | Trailer or vehicle |
| Lists on the subject | |
The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense ( THAAD ; formerly Theater High Altitude Area Defense ) is a missile defense system the United States Army against ballistic missiles that threaten a war zone or region.
technology
At THAAD, unlike the energy weapons planned as part of SDI , the incoming missile is fought with its own interceptor missile, an anti-missile missile . As soon as the AN / TPY-2 ground penetrating radar has located an approaching missile, the anti-missile missile is fired. If the booster has burned out at a height of over 100 km in space, it is cut off and the Kinetic Kill Vehicle steers itself to the target with the help of maneuvering nozzles. Instead of a warhead, the approaching missile is destroyed solely by the kinetic energy of the impact ( hit-to-kill ), similar to the PAC-3 upgrade of the MIM-104 Patriot system.
The system was developed to repel short and medium-range missiles such as the R-17 . In addition, it has limited potential against ICBMs . The range of THAAD missiles is estimated at 200 km, the maximum flight altitude about 150 km.
The THAAD system was developed by the Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company (LMSS) and Raytheon . The budget in 2004 was over $ 700 million. The total development costs are estimated at several billion dollars.
development
The THAAD Demonstration Program (DEM-VAL) ran from August 1992 to August 2000, during which some flight tests were completed on the White Sands Missile Range . After initial failures, it was possible to successfully repel missiles on June 10, 1999 and August 2, 1999. The following phase of the program envisaged the transfer of the design and the experience gained to the development of a mobile launch device. This phase was called Engineering Manufacturing and Development (EMD) and began in August 2000. The missile tests on the White Sands Missile Range were resumed with the complete system in 2005 and 2006 and later continued in 2006 on the Pacific Missile Range Facility .
Although it was originally a United States Army project, THAAD joined the Missile Defense Agency's missile defense program . It is similar to the Aegis Combat System of the United States Navy .
On January 3, 2007, Lockheed Martin Corp. the order to ramp up the production of THAAD by 2009 for pre-series production. The order was worth over US $ 619 million . To this end, the group should provide the Missile Defense Agency with 6 interception systems, each consisting of six launch ramps, two fire controls and communication units by fiscal year 2009. On June 26, 2008, the system successfully intercepted a separated re-entry vehicle during a test.
On May 28, 2008, the US Army activated the first operational THAAD unit: Alpha Battery, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, with 24 THAAD missiles, three THAAD missile launch systems, a THAAD fire control center and a THAAD -Radar. On October 16, 2009, the second THAAD battery was activated in the same configuration: Alpha Battery, 2nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade. Both units are based in Fort Bliss , Texas.
On April 3, 2013, in the wake of tensions with North Korea, the US Department of Defense announced that it would be relocating one of the missile defense systems to Guam within a few weeks in order to protect the American military installations there.
On September 20, 2013, Lockheed Martin Corp received the order for the series production of the THAAD with a volume of 3.92 billion US dollars. Among other things, 302 guided missiles are to be produced. Of these, 192 guided missiles are destined for the United Arab Emirates . In 2008 the UAE ordered two batteries from THAAD. The UAE's share of the cost of the Foreign Military Sale (FMS) is $ 2.7 billion. The delivery will take place between 2015 and 2019.
On May 4, 2016, KBS World Radio reported that, "according to South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo," "the government is talking to the United States about deploying THAAD missiles on the Korean peninsula." This was said by "the minister on Tuesday" (sc. May 3, 2016) "before the Defense Committee of the National Assembly". ... "At the moment it is not foreseeable when he will be able to announce the details. But the process is progressing well, he added." On July 7, 2016, the South Korean Ministry of Defense announced that the US would deploy the THAAD in South Korea to defend against North Korean missiles. Exact stationing dates were not given. The system should be operational by the end of 2017 at the latest [obsolete] . The People's Republic of China criticized the decision on the grounds that it would run counter to efforts to maintain stability on the Korean peninsula through dialogue. The stationing was also an issue in the election campaign before the presidential election in South Korea on May 9, 2017 .
On June 13, 2017, the South Korean military reported that a drone presumably from North Korea had taken photos of the THAAD system that is being set up 250 km from the border in South Korea.
In late November 2018, the government approved the sale to Saudi Arabia for $ 15 billion. Saudi Arabia since its military intervention in Yemen from 2015 with short-range missiles of Huthi attacked -Rebellen. However, resistance to the government of President Donald Trump and his support for Saudi Arabia is growing in the US parliament , especially since the assassination of the Saudi journalist and regime critic Jamal Khashoggi .
operator
See also
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Lockheed Martin Receives $ 3.9 Billion THAAD Production Contract , accessed December 4, 2013
- ↑ US, UAE reach deal for missile-defense system , accessed December 4, 2013
- ↑ LM receives production contract for UAE THAAD order ( Memento from October 26, 2013 in the Internet Archive ), accessed on December 4, 2013
- ↑ Seoul's Defense Minister: "South Korea and USA are talking about THAAD stationing". In: world.kbs.co.kr. Retrieved May 5, 2016 .
- ^ THAAD in South Korea: What Does It Really Mean for China? The Diplomat, July 12, 2016
- ↑ Protective shield against Kim's missiles. South Korea receives defense system. In: Tagesschau.de. July 8, 2016, archived from the original on July 8, 2016 ; Retrieved July 8, 2016 .
- ↑ North Korea is apparently spying on US missile defense from orf.at, June 12, 2017, accessed June 12, 2017.
- ↑ Tages-Anzeiger - USA sells Saudi Arabia rockets for 15 billion , accessed on November 29, 2018
- ↑ THAAD missile defense system to be installed in Romania heise.de, April 17, 2019