THAAD system undergoes fifth successful test firing

Kapaa, Hawaii: The US military's ground-based missile defence system has reported a successful intercept of a missile launched from an airplane, saying it was the first successful test of the system's ability to destroy a separating target. The interceptor missile, part of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, had to differentiate between the warhead and the body of the missile before destroying it above the Pacific Ocean, according to the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA).

The system used a mobile launcher at Kauai's Pacific Missile Range Facility to shoot down a target representing a 'threat' ballistic missile, said Lt Gen Henry ''Trey'' Obering. The 'threat' missile was launched from an Air Force C-17 flying over the Pacific Ocean and the interceptor missile was launched six minutes later in response.

Like the Patriot anti-missile defenses, THAAD is designed to knock out ballistic missiles in their final minute of flight, the agency said. Unlike the Patriot system, however, it is designed to intercept targets at higher altitudes, which enables it to defend a larger area.

The THAAD missile uses kinetic energy, hit-to-kill technology. It may be kept in mind that American firms developing these systems have been trying to interest India with these technologies for quite some time now. 

According to the agency, this was the fifth successful intercept in five attempts since 2005 for the THAAD system. It was also the 35th successful test in 43 attempts in the atmosphere and in space since 2001, according to the MDA.

Since September 2005, the military has successfully completed 29 of 30 attempts.

A test in September 2006 at White Sands Missile Range, NM, was not completed due to a malfunction of the target missile, and no intercept was attempted.

THAAD is one of two missile defence systems being tested at the Navy's Hawaii missile range. The sea-based Aegis system completed its own successful test 5 June.

THAAD
The THAAD is a transportable defensive weapon system designed to protect against hostile incoming threats such as tactical and theatre ballistic missiles at ranges of 200km, and at altitudes up to 150km.

It provides the upper tier of a 'layered defensive shield' and intercepts exo-atmospheric and endo-atmospheric threats.

High value sites, such as cities or nuclear reactors, would also be protected with lower- and medium-tier defensive shield systems such as the Patriot PAC-3 which intercepts hostile incoming missiles at 20 to 100 times lower altitudes.