Leveraging THAAD Capability Against Evolving Threats

A photo of Flight Test THAAD-23 (FTT-23).

THAAD's recent deployment and operational use has put significant focus on THAAD's capability against evolving missile threats. The THAAD Weapon System is a highly effective, combat-proven defense against short, medium and intermediate-range ballistic missiles and is the only U.S.-designed system that can intercept threats inside and outside of the atmosphere with hit to kill precision. THAAD is globally deployed to strategic locations, effectively deterring threats and defending citizens and critical infrastructure of the U.S. and its allies.  

 Designed in the 1990s to address a gap in air defense identified during the Gulf War, THAAD quickly became a key element of the U.S. Ballistic Missile Defense architecture. Since its inception in the early 1990s to provide terminal-phase intercept capabilities against ballistic missiles, Lockheed Martin has continually evolved the system to defeat emerging threats. This includes interoperability improvements, as well as organic battery-level enhancements such as integrating the PAC-3 MSE, the worlds most advanced air defense missile, into the THAAD weapon system.  

 The first confirmed operational use of the THAAD Weapon System occurred in January 2022 when our first Foreign Military Sales partner, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), used the THAAD Weapon System to defeat at least two inbound medium-range ballistic missiles. UAE air defenders, trained by Lockheed Martin and supported through our global logistics support program, made history and validated the effectiveness of the system to defend against real-world ballistic missile attacks.  

A rendering of a THAAD interceptor in flight.

Lockheed Martin's reach-back support to globally deployed THAAD units assists the warfighter in maximizing the effectiveness of the system in real time. When THAAD was recently called upon in combat operations, Lockheed Martin responded with agility to increased warfighter urgency by developing and deploying new tools to assist the warfighter in maximizing the effectiveness of the deployed system to defeat a novel ballistic missile threat.  

While the THAAD Weapon System was originally designed within specific performance requirements, THAAD's use in military operations, and the reach-back data collected through those engagements, demonstrates that THAAD is effective at defeating threats beyond the original requirements for the system.  

 The future of missile defense is a system of systems challenge, which presents unique operational complexities. The information collected through THAAD's operational use provides real-time validation of THAAD's interoperability with larger architectures and demonstrates significant opportunity to invest in and accelerate the development of new THAAD capabilities to maximize the effectiveness and interoperability of the system against tomorrow's advanced missile threats. 

 Lockheed Martin has a long track record of investing in internal research and development to enhance interoperability with other systems and architectures in support of Joint All Domain Operations. THAAD is well positioned to expand integration with other systems to provide the warfighter layered, networked missile defense architectures needed to defend against the current and future threat environment.