The U.S. Missile Defense Agency and Lockheed Martin conducted a successful low endo-atmospheric test of the terminal high altitude area defense (THAAD) weapon system interceptor at White Sands Missile Range, NM, in late June. The flight test was of the THAAD interceptor only; there was no target.

Preliminary data indicate the THAAD flight test met all objectives including interceptor launch, booster and kill vehicle separation, shroud separation in a low endo-flight environment, kill vehicle control and evaluation of the heating effects on the interceptor mid-body in a low endo-flight environment.

THAAD is designed to defend U.S. troops, allied forces, and population centers against short- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles. THAAD comprises a fire control and communications system, interceptors, launchers and a radar. The THAAD interceptor uses hit-to-kill technology to destroy targets, and is the only weapon system that engages threat ballistic missiles at both endo- and exo-atmospheric altitudes.

A key element of the nation's ballistic missile defense system (BMDS), THAAD is a Missile Defense Agency program, with the program office located in Huntsville, AL. Additional flight testing of the THAAD weapon system is under way at the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) on the Hawaiian island of Kauai and will continue there through 2009.

Since November 2005, the THAAD weapon system program has conducted six successful flight tests, including three tests involving the successful intercept of threat representative targets. The THAAD flight test program is scheduled to return to PMRF later this year for additional flight testing.

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