THAAD: The $1,000,000,000 U.S. Missile Defense System That Makes China Sweat

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Key Points: The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system is a cornerstone of U.S. and allied air defense strategies. Renowned for its precision, THAAD employs a kinetic kill approach to destroy short-, medium-, and intermediate-range missiles during their terminal flight phase.

-Recently deployed to Israel, THAAD complements the country’s existing Iron Dome and David’s Sling systems, creating a robust missile shield against threats from Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran.

-With its interoperability with the U.S. Navy’s Aegis system and PAC-3 air defenders, THAAD is invaluable in protecting critical infrastructure, including U.S. air bases in Asia. Despite its $1 billion cost per battery, THAAD’s effectiveness justifies its price.

THAAD Missile Defenders Are One of the Most Popular and Powerful Systems in the World

It is one of the best air defense batteries the U.S. military has. The name simply conjures up deterrence, safety, and confidence for the American allies that use it. The soldiers who serve on it are full of pride. I’m talking about THAAD or the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system.

THAAD has a bright future ahead of it, and it has already made a difference in hotspots around the world. 

As future warfare increasingly devolves into missile versus missile warfare, an excellent air defense system is one of the most critical assets a military can deploy.

THAAD and American Troops Have Been Sent to Israel

In October, The Department of Defense announced that a THAAD battery would be sent to Israel to help defend the Jewish state against rockets and missiles fired by Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran. About 100 air defense artillery troops from the U.S. Army will be sent to Israel to operate THAAD. 

The soldiers are accustomed to these types of deployments as missile defense personnel are extremely valuable. They endure a high operational tempo and are in demand by all field commanders.

Army Chief of Staff General Randy A. George said this about air defense artillery personnel. “We’ve seen them around the world. I’ve been very, very impressed. Everywhere I go, they’re super motivated,” George said. 

The System Can Destroy a Diverse Range of Aircraft and Missiles

The aspect of THAAD that sets it apart from its competitors is the versatility of the system. THAAD can destroy short-range, medium-range, and intermediate-range missiles. THAAD does this by knocking out the projectiles “both inside or outside the atmosphere during their terminal phase of flight – or [they] dive on their target,” according to CNN.

The interceptor works with a kinetic kill system. THAAD missiles collide with the bogeys instead of blowing up near them. Another great thing about the THAAD system is its ability to communicate with the U.S. Navy’s Aegis Combat System. This interoperability creates a missile shield both over water and land. 

THAAD Can Be Integrated with Israel’s Existing Missile Defense Shield 

THAAD is highly accurate and has a fantastic radar. It sniffs out incoming missiles two ways. THAAD targets missiles in their ascent and descent. 

For Israel, THAAD can work with the existing Iron Dome, Arrow, and David’s Sling missile defenders. The range is 1,865 miles, meaning THAAD can intercept missiles from Iran.

THAAD does not come cheap. It costs $1 billion a battery. Saudi Arabia has ordered it, the United Arab Emirates is a partner, and Ukraine wants it badly. 

They Love It in East Asia

THAAD can also be integrated with existing PAC-3 air defenders, creating an even better missile shield for U.S. allies in East Asia, such as South Korea and Japan.

Missile defense will play a massive role in any conflict with China. One aspect of 21st-century warfare in the Indo-Pacific will be China’s use of its own short-, medium-, and long-range surface-to-surface and air-to-surface missiles. 

Protecting U.S. Air Bases in the Indo-Pacific

One weak point of U.S. strategy in East Asia is the reliance on American air bases in South Korea, Japan, and Guam. F-35s and F-15EXs will fly from those installations, and China will plan to launch missiles to destroy or damage runways and hangars. A destroyed runway could set the U.S. Air Force back weeks, and the wreckage would not allow airplanes to take off and land.

It will take a large constellation of missile defenders like THAAD to protect these air bases, and that would also include civilian airports that could be in danger.

THAAD can protect friendly airplanes on the ground and safeguard radar installations. THAAD is expensive but worth it. Only seven THAAD batteries exist in the U.S. Army, and the Americans will need more to protect air bases and other infrastructure better in the early days of a possible battle with China. 

THAAD was deployed to South Korea in 2017, and the North Koreans were hopping mad, knowing that it would be a difference maker on the peninsula. China was also unhappy about the system being so close to its borders. Beijing and Pyongyang believe the ingenious THAAD radar could spy on activity within their countries.

Thus, THAAD is an essential system for U.S. allies. It can detect incoming missiles with ease. The interceptors are highly accurate, giving operators maximum confidence that they are a significant part of an excellent missile shield. The United States and its allies simply need more air defenders as a form of protection and deterrence.

THAAD is also vital to protect runways at U.S. air bases in East Asia to keep the airplanes flying daily. The Americans can’t build them fast enough.

About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood 

Brent M. Eastwood, PhD, is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare, plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.