A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) is a mobile interceptor missile designed to intercept short- to medium-range ballistic missiles inside or just outside the earth's atmosphere. A THAAD battery consists of four main components: truck-mounted launchers, interceptors, radar, and fire control/communications. The interceptor is a single-stage round consisting of a solid propellant booster and a kill vehicle encased in a canister.

The THAAD element provides the BMDS with a globally transportable, rapidly deployable capability to intercept and destroy ballistic missiles inside or just outside the atmosphere during their final, or terminal, phase of flight.

The interceptor is launched from a truck-mounted, palletized loading system designed launcher. Interceptor steering before booster burnout is provided by an electromechanical Thrust Vector Actuation (TVA) System. The TVA System vectors the solid rocket booster nozzle based on commands given by the missile mission computer. After booster separation, a separate group of several small thrusters make the kill vehicle turn and roll toward the target.The interceptor has autonomous on-board navigation, refines navigation using in-flight target updates and acquires, tracks and intercepts the target.

The THAAD element uses hit-to-kill technology whereby kinetic energy destroys the incoming warhead. The high-altitude intercept mitigates effects of enemy weapons of mass destruction before they reach the ground.

The Army-Navy/Transportable Radar Surveillance and Control (AN/TPY-2) is the largest air-transportable X-band radar in the world. It searches, tracks, and discriminates objects and provides updated tracking data to the THAAD interceptor.

The THAAD launcher is one of the four main components of a THAAD battery. The launcher is truck-mounted, highly-mobile, and able to be stored. The launcher can hold eight interceptors which can be fired and rapidly reloaded.

The Army-Navy/Transportable Radar Surveillance and Control (AN/TPY-2) is the largest air-transportable X-band radar in the world. It searches, tracks, and discriminates objects and provides updated tracking data to the THAAD interceptor.

The THAAD launcher is one of the four main components of a THAAD battery. The launcher is truck-mounted, highly-mobile, and able to be stored. The launcher can hold eight interceptors which can be fired and rapidly reloaded.

The fire control is also one of the four main components of a THAAD battery. The fire control is the communication and data management backbone which links the THAAD components together. The fire control also links THAAD to external command and control nodes and to the entire Ballistic Missile Defense System. The fire control plans and executes intercept solutions.

Production of THAAD began in December of 2006. The first two THAAD batteries were activated by the U.S. Army in May 2008 and October 2009. A third THAAD battery was delivered in 2013 and a fourth delivered in 2014. Production of THAAD continues with a total planned procurement of six batteries. The U.S. Army is responsible for deployment and operations.

A THAAD battery is rapidly deployable by being globally transportable via air, land and sea.

Check out the information on our THAAD page and the images and video on the THAAD Media Gallery

All of the elements of the BMDS are described in our System section. If you still have questions, check out the FAQs for:

• Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD),
• Command and Control, Battle Management, and Communications (C2BMC),
• Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD),
• PATRIOT Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3), and
• Sensors.