Terminal High Altitude Area Defense
Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, formerly Theater High Altitude Area Defense, is an American anti-ballistic missile defense system designed to shoot down short-, medium-, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles in their terminal phase by intercepting with a hit-to-kill approach. THAAD was developed after the experience of Iraq's Scud missile attacks during the Gulf War in 1991. The THAAD interceptor carries no warhead, but relies on its kinetic energy of impact to destroy the incoming missile. A kinetic energy hit minimizes the risk of exploding conventional-warhead ballistic missiles, and the warhead of nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles will not detonate on a kinetic-energy hit.More at Wikipedia
Type:
Mobile anti-ballistic missile system
Place of origin:
U.S
In service:
2008–present
Used by:
United States Army
Designed:
1987
Manufacturer:
Lockheed Martin
Produced:
2008–present
Number built:
numerous
Weight:
900 kg
Length:
6.17 m
Diameter:
34 cm
Engine:
Single-stage rocket
Operational, range:
>200 km
Speed:
Mach 8.24 (2.8 km/s)
Guidance, system:
Indium-antimonide imaging infra-red seeker head