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 intercept and destroy short-, medium-, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles in their terminal phase. The THAAD interceptor carries no warhead, instead relying on its kinetic energy of impact to destroy the incoming missile. THAAD was developed after the experience of Iraq's Scud missile attacks during the Gulf War in 1991.
Originally a United States Army program, THAAD has come under the umbrella of the Missile Defense Agency. The Navy has a similar program, the sea-based Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System, which also has a land component. THAAD was originally scheduled for deployment in 2012, but initial deployment took place in May 2008. THAAD has been deployed in the United Arab Emirates, Israel, Romania, and South Korea.
On 17 January 2022, THAAD made its first operational interception of an incoming hostile medium-range ballistic missile in the UAE.

Development

The THAAD missile defense concept was proposed in 1987, with a formal request for proposals submitted to industry in 1991. The THAAD program benefited from results of previous missile defense efforts like High Endoatmospheric Defense Interceptor and the Kinetic Kill Vehicle Integrated Technology Experiment. In September 1992, the US Army selected Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin, as the prime contractor for THAAD development.
Prior to the development of a physical prototype, the Aero-Optical Effect software code was developed to validate the intended operational profile of Lockheed's proposed design. In April 1995, the first THAAD flight test occurred, with all flight tests in the demonstration-validation program phase occurring at White Sands Missile Range. The first six intercept attempts missed the target. The first successful intercepts were conducted on 10 June 1999, and 2 August 1999, against Hera missiles.
The U.S. Army Research Laboratory assessed the vulnerability of THAAD, which featured an evaluation of the effects of major electromagnetic elements, including EM interference, EM radiation operations, EM radiation hazards, EM pulse, electrostatic discharge, and lightning, on components of the system. The assessment was designed also to determine the system's growth potential given its tactical design as well as provide survivability analysis against threats such as conventional weapons, chemical weapons, and electronic warfare countermeasures. The data collected from the analyses were used to develop trajectory models for targets and missile as well as target trajectories using infrared scene generation of infrared countermeasures.
The THAAD system is being designed, built, and integrated by Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control acting as prime contractor. Key subcontractors include Raytheon, Boeing, Aerojet Rocketdyne, Honeywell, BAE Systems, Oshkosh Defense, and MiltonCAT.

Date	Result	Notes
21 April 1995	Success	First test flight to prove the propulsion system. There was no target in the test.
31 July 1995	Aborted	Kill vehicle control test. The test flight was aborted. There was no target in the test.
13 October 1995	Success	Launched to test its target-seeking system. There was no attempt to hit the target in the test.
13 December 1995	Failure	Failed to hit a test target due to software errors in the missile's fuel system.
22 March 1996	Failure	Failed to hit a test target due to mechanical problems with the kill vehicle's booster separation.
15 July 1996	Failure	Failed to hit a test target due to a malfunction in the targeting system.
6 March 1997	Failure	Failed to hit a test target due to a contamination in the electrical system.
12 May 1998	Failure	Failed to hit a test target due to an electrical short circuit in the booster system. At this point, the U.S. Congress reduced funding for the project due to repeated failures.
29 March 1999	Failure	Failed to hit a test target due to multiple failures, including guidance system.
10 June 1999	Success	Hit a test target in a simplified test scenario.
2 August 1999	Success	Hit a test target in the thermosphere at an altitude of

Engineering and manufacturing

In June 2000, Lockheed won the Engineering and Manufacturing Development contract to turn the design into a mobile tactical army fire unit. In 2006, flight tests of this system resumed with missile characterization and full system tests at White Sands Missile Range, then moved to the Pacific Missile Range Facility. The Interceptor was led through development and initial production by Tory Bruno, who later became the CEO of United Launch Alliance.

Date	Result	Notes
2005-11-22	Success	Launched a missile in its first Flight EMD Test, known as FLT-01. The test was deemed a success by Lockheed and the Pentagon.
2006-05-11	Success	FLT-02, the first developmental flight test to test the entire system, including interceptor, launcher, radar, and fire control system.
2006-07-12	Success	FLT-03. Intercepted a live target missile.
2006-09-13	Aborted	Hera target missile launched, but had to be terminated in mid-flight before the launch of the FLT-04 missile. This has officially been characterized as a "no test".
Fall 2006	Cancelled	FLT-05, a missile-only test, was postponed until mid-spring 2007.
2007-01-27	Success	FLT-06. Intercepted a "high endo-atmospheric" unitary target representing a "SCUD"-type ballistic missile launched from a mobile platform off Kauai in the Pacific Ocean.
2007-04-06	Success	FLT-07 test. Intercepted a "mid endo-atmospheric" unitary target missile off Kauai in the Pacific Ocean. It successfully tested THAAD's interoperability with other elements of the MDS system.
2007-10-27	Success	Conducted a successful exo-atmospheric test at the Pacific Missile Range Facility off Kauai, Hawaii. The flight test demonstrated the system's ability to detect, track and intercept an incoming unitary target above the Earth's atmosphere. The missile was hot-condition tested to prove its ability to operate in extreme environments.
2008-06-27	Success	Downed a missile launched from a C-17 Globemaster III.
2008-09-17	Aborted	Target missile failed shortly after launch, so neither interceptor was launched. Officially a "no test".
2009-03-17	Success	A repeat of the September flight test. This time it was a success.
2009-12-11	Aborted	FLT-11: The Hera target missile failed to ignite after air deployment, and the interceptor was not launched. Officially a "no test".
2010-06-29	Success	FLT-14: Conducted a successful endo-atmospheric intercept of unitary target at lowest altitude to date. Afterward, exercised Simulation-Over-Live-Driver system to inject multiple simulated targets into the THAAD radar to test system's ability to engage a mass raid of enemy ballistic missiles.
2011-10-05	Success	FLT-12: Conducted a successful endo-atmospheric intercept of two targets with two interceptors.
2012-10-24	Success	FTI-01 : test of the integration of THAAD with PAC-3 and Aegis against a raid of 5 missiles of different types. During this engagement THAAD successfully intercepted an Extended Long Range Air Launch Target missile dropped from a C-17 north of Wake Island. This marked the first time THAAD had intercepted a Medium Range Ballistic Missile. Two AN/TPY-2 were used in the $180M test, with the forward-based radar feeding data into Aegis and Patriot systems as well as THAAD.
2017-07-11	Success	FTT-18 : The FTT-18 test plan was announced to the public on 8 July 2017. The first test of THAAD against an IRBM, FTT-18 successfully occurred on 11 July 2017; an Alaska-based THAAD interceptor, launched from the Pacific Spaceport Complex – Alaska on Kodiak island, intercepted its target over Alaska airspace. The FTT-18 target simulated an intermediate-range ballistic missile. It was "launched" near Hawaii from the cargo hold of a C-17, being initially dropped by parachute. From there the mock IRBM proceeded in a north-easterly direction until reaching Alaskan airspace, where it was intercepted.
2017-07-30	Success	FET-01 : In FET-01, the Missile Defense Agency gathered threat data from a THAAD interceptor in flight. THAAD detected, tracked, and intercepted a medium-range ballistic missile, which was launched from a C-17 by parachute. Soldiers from the 11th ADA Brigade conducted launcher, fire control, and radar operations without foreknowledge of the launch time. The MDA director, Lieutenant General Sam Greaves stated: "In addition to successfully intercepting the target, the data collected will allow MDA to enhance the THAAD weapon system, our modeling and simulation capabilities, and our ability to stay ahead of the evolving threat."