Model: THAAD.

THAAD Credit - Boeing / Rocketdyne

Anti-ballistic missile. Other Family: Active. Country: USA. Status: Active.

Theatre High-Altitude Air Defence. SDIO/BMDO project. Single stage vehicle.

Historical Essay © Andreas Parsch

Lockheed Martin THAAD

The THAAD (Theater High Altitude Area Defense) missile defense system was first proposed in 1987, and in 1990 the formal request for proposals was submitted to the industry. In September 1992, the U.S. Army selected Lockheed Martin as prime contractor for THAAD development, and the first THAAD flight test occurred in April 1995.

A THAAD battery consists of about nine launch trucks with ten missiles each, two mobile tactical operations centers, and the Ground-Based Radar (GBR). The GBR is employed for surveillance at ranges of up to 1000 km (600 miles), target identification and target tracking. Targeting information is uploaded to the missile immediately before launch and continuously updated during the flight. The THAAD missile is powered by a single stage solid-propellant rocket motor with thrust vectoring. After burnout, the booster is separated from the kill vehicle (KV), which continues to the interception point. For exo-atmospheric manoeuvering, the KV is equipped with a Boeing-developed liquid DACS (Divert and Attitude Control System). In the terminal intercept phase, the KV is guided by an InSb staring FPA (Focal Plane Array) infrared seeker, whose window is protected in the initial flight phase by a clamshell protection shroud. The KV has no explosive warhead and destroys the target by direct impact. The THAAD can intercept ballistic missile targets at altitudes up to 150 km (93 miles) at a range of more than 200 km (125 miles).

Between 21 April 1995 and 2 August 1999, a total of 11 THAAD flight tests occurred. The initial tests validated propulsion and seeker systems, and the first actual intercept was attempted in the 4th flight on 13 December 1995. However, the test failed and the first successful interception (a Hera ballistic target) actually did not occur before the 10th flight on 10 June 1999! The reasons for the preceding six failures were various, and included failures in the propulsion system, stage separation, seeker soft- and hardware, and the kill vehicle's DACS. The 11th and so far last test was also successful, but the system's bad test record of course significantly delayed the program.

In late 1999, it was decided to enter the the EMD (Engineering and Manufacturing Development) phase of the THAAD program, and the EMD contract was awarded to Lockheed Martin in June 2000. The first of a total of 16 EMD flight tests is scheduled for 2004, and start of production is tentatively planned for 2007. The U.S. Army currently plans to procure more than 1400 THAAD missiles, which will eventually form the upper-tier complement to the Patriot PAC-3 in the Army's TBMD (Theater Ballistic Missile Defense) system.

Designation Note: THAAD will probably receive an MIM-nnn designation once it enters production and service.

Note: Data given by several sources show slight variations. Figures given below may therefore be inaccurate!

Data for THAAD:

[1] Hajime Ozu: "Missile 2000 - Reference Guide to World Missile Systems", Shinkigensha, 2000
[2] Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control Website
[3] GlobalSecurity.org Website
[4] Army Technology Website: "THAAD Theater High Altitude Area Defense Missile System", Net Resources International Ltd.
[5] Center for Defense Information Website

Manufacturer: Lockheed. Launches: 18. Failures: 1. Success Rate: 94.44%. First Launch Date: 1995-04-21. Last Launch Date: 2007-10-27. Launch data is: continuing. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). Liftoff Thrust: 0 N ( lbf). Total Mass: 600 kg (1,320 lb). Core Diameter: 0.34 m (1.11 ft). Total Length: 6.20 m (20.30 ft).

• Stage1: 1 x THAAD-1. Gross Mass: 600 kg (1,320 lb). Motor: 1 x THAAD. Length: 3.80 m (12.40 ft). Diameter: 0.34 m (1.11 ft). Propellants: Solid.

1995 April 21 - 15:04 GMT - White Sands -. THAAD FT-01 Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).

1995 July 31 - White Sands -. THAAD FT-02 Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).

1995 October 13 - White Sands -. THAAD FT-03 Test mission Agency: USA. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).

1995 December 13 - White Sands -. THAAD FT-04 ABM test Agency: USA. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).

1996 March 22 - White Sands -. THAAD FT-05 ABM test Agency: USA. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).

1996 July 15 - 11:31 GMT - White Sands -. THAAD FT-06 ABM test Agency: USA. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).

1997 March 6 - White Sands -. THAAD FT-07 ABM test Agency: USA. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).

1998 May 12 - 11:25 GMT - White Sands -. THAAD FT-08 FAILURE: Failure. ABM test Agency: USA. Apogee: 0 km ( mi).

1999 March 29 - 12:13 GMT - White Sands -. THAAD FT-09 ABM test Agency: USA. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).

1999 June 10 - 11:14 GMT - White Sands -. THAAD FT-10 ABM test Agency: USA. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).

1999 August 2 - 11:44 GMT - White Sands -. THAAD FT-11 ABM test Agency: USA. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).

2005 November 22 - White Sands -. THAAD FT-12/FTT-1 Block 04 Demo Agency: LM. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).

2006 May 11 - White Sands -. THAAD FT-13/FTT-2? Virtual Target Agency: LM/USA. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).

2006 July 12 - 11:20 GMT - White Sands -. THAAD FT-14? High Endo Agency: LM/USA. Apogee: 60 km (37 mi).

2007 January 27 - 05:20 GMT - Barking Sands -. THAAD FTT-6 High Endo Agency: USA. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).

2007 April 6 - 06:45 GMT - Barking Sands -. THAAD FTT-7 Mid Endo Agency: USA. Apogee: 60 km (37 mi).

2007 June 26 - White Sands -. Low Endo Agency: USA. Apogee: 40 km (24 mi).

2007 October 27 - 07:15 GMT - Barking Sands -. Exo Agency: USA. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).