Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Media Gallery

2013

Sept. 10, 2013

Two Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors are launched during a successful intercept test. The test, conducted by Missile Defense Agency (MDA), Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) Operational Test Agency, Joint Functional Component Command for Integrated Missile Defense, and U.S. Pacific Command, in conjunction with U.S. Army soldiers from the Alpha Battery, 2nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment, U.S. Navy sailors aboard the guided missile destroyer USS DECATUR (DDG-73), and U.S. Air Force airmen from the 613th Air and Operations Center resulted in the intercept of one medium-range ballistic missile target by THAAD, and one medium-range ballistic missile target by Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD). The test, designated Flight Test Operational-01 (FTO-01), stressed the ability of the Aegis BMD and THAAD weapon systems to function in a layered defense architecture and defeat a raid of two near-simultaneous ballistic missile targets.

Click here for more images from this flight test:
Aegis BMD

2012

Oct. 25, 2012

A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor is launched from Meck Island on its way to an intercept of a ballistic missile target during MDA's historic flight test on Oct. 24, 2012 (Oct. 25 on Kwajalein).

Click here for more images from this flight test:
AN/TPY-2
PAC-3
THAAD

2011

Oct. 5, 2011

A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor is launched during the system's first operational test at 1:56 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time Oct. 5 at the Pacific Missile Range Facility, Kauai, Hawaii. The test was conducted by the Ballistic Missile Defense System Operational Test Agency with the support of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency. During the test the THAAD system engaged and simultaneously intercepted two ballistic missile targets.

2010

June 28, 2010

The Missile Defense Agency and U.S. Army soldiers of the 6th Air Defense Artillery Brigade from Fort Bliss, Texas, successfully conducted an intercept test for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile defense element of the nation's Ballistic Missile Defense System. A target missile was launched at approximately 9:32 p.m. Hawaii time, June 28 (3:32 a.m. EDT, June 29), and about five minutes later a THAAD interceptor missile was launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) off the island of Kauai, Hawaii.

2009

Oct. 21, 2009

Selected THAAD Photos

March 17, 2009

On March 17, 2009 the THAAD missile defense element completed a successful intercept of a ballistic missile target at the Pacific Missile Range Facility off the island of Kauai in Hawaii. Preliminary indications are that planned flight test objectives were achieved. THAAD is a mobile system now in development designed to intercept short to medium range ballistic missiles. Soldiers of the 6th Air Defense Artillery Brigade conducted launcher, fire control and radar operations, using tactics, techniques and procedures developed by the U.S. Army Air Defense School.

2008

June 25, 2008

On June 25, 2008 the THAAD element completed another successful test involving the intercept of a separating target inside the earth's atmosphere. This was the 35th successful hit-to-kill intercept of 43 attempts in the atmosphere and in space since 2001, and was the 29th of 30 successful tests conducted since September 2005.

2007

Oct. 27, 2007

On October 27, 2007 a ballistic missile target was successfully intercepted off the island of Kauai in Hawaii. Preliminary indications are that planned flight test objectives were achieved. The intercept involved the "exo-atmospheric" "hit to kill" destruction of a unitary (non-separating) target representing a "SCUD"-type ballistic missile launched from a mobile platform positioned off Kauai in the Pacific Ocean. The interceptor was launched from the THAAD launch complex at the Pacific Missile Range Facility.

June 27, 2007

On June 27, 2007 a test involved the launch and "fly-out" of a THAAD interceptor missile in a highly stressing low-endosphere (inside the atmosphere) environment. This was the lowest altitude fly-out of a THAAD interceptor to date, and demonstrated its ability to operate in a high-dynamic pressure environment with aero heating effects.

April 6, 2007

On April 6, 2007 a successful intercept was achieved for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) ballistic missile defense element at the Pacific Missile Range Facility off the island of Kauai in Hawaii. This test involved the successful intercept of a "mid endo-atmospheric" (inside earth's atmosphere) unitary (non-separating) target representing a "SCUD"-type ballistic missile launched from a mobile platform positioned off Kauai in the Pacific Ocean.

Launch

Jan. 27, 2007

On January 27, 2007 a successful launch was achieved of a THAAD interceptor missile. This test involved the successful intercept of a "high endo-atmospheric" (just inside earth's atmosphere) unitary (non-separating) target representing a "SCUD"-type ballistic missile launched from a mobile platform positioned off Kauai in the Pacific Ocean. The interceptor was launched from the THAAD launch complex at the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF). This was the first test of the THAAD system at PMRF since equipment was moved to the range in October, 2006.

Launch

2006

July 12, 2006

On July 12, 2006 a successful launch was achieved of a THAAD interceptor missile. The primary test objective was to demonstrate interceptor seeker characterization of a ballistic missile target in the high-endoatmosphere (just inside the earth's atmosphere). A unitary (non-separating) Hera target missile was launched for the test and although it was not a primary objective, a successful intercept of the target occurred.

May 11, 2006

On May 11, 2006 a successful launch was achieved of a THAAD interceptor missile. This was a fully integrated flight test of all THAAD components, including the mobile launcher, radar, fire control and communications element and the interceptor missile.

2005

Nov. 22, 2005

On November 22, 2005 a successful launch was achieved of a THAAD interceptor missile. This test starts a new round of THAAD developmental testing that builds on the investment from earlier THAAD tests, which included two consecutive target intercepts in 1999. It is the first missile defense system that is capable of intercepting a target missile both inside and outside the atmosphere.

1999

June 10, 1999

The Missile Defense Agency's THAAD System constitutes the upper tier of a two-tiered defense against tactical ballistic missiles, and provides broad area coverage against threats to military forces and critical assets, such as population centers and industrial resources. THAAD consists of four segments defined as missile round, launcher, Battle Management/Command, Control, Communications, and Intelligence (BM/C3I) and radar. This weapons system is designed to perform its mission in a centralized, decentralized, or autonomous mode. Deployable to theaters of operation using strategic military air, ground and ship transport, this weapon system provides off-the-shelf technology in a mobile configuration.