A team of U.S. military personnel has arrived in Israel to prepare the advanced THAAD air defense system that the Biden administration is deploying to deter further attacks by Iran and its allies.
The Pentagon said in a statement Tuesday that the system would be completed in the “near future,” but declined to give an exact date, citing operational security.
THAAD adds a new layer of protection to several types of air defense systems that Israel already uses to shoot down missiles. Approximately 100 U.S. soldiers will go to Israel to operate the THAAD system, the Pentagon said, bringing them closer to the center of the growing Middle East war.
“This is a political message from the United States to Israel: ‘We are with you,'” said Yehoshua Kalisky, a military technology expert at the Tel Aviv National Security Institute. “And to the enemy, say ‘stop’.”
Here we will take a look at the THAAD system and what it can do.
What is THAAD?
The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System is a mobile surface-to-air intercept system designed to shoot down incoming ballistic missiles. It is classified as a short-range, medium-range, and medium-range interceptor, capable of attacking incoming targets both within and above the Earth’s atmosphere.
According to the Congressional Research Service, each THAAD battery consists of five parts: 48 interceptors, six truck-mounted launchers, a radar, a command and control platform, and 95 soldiers. The missile does not have a warhead and uses the force of the impact to destroy the target.
According to manufacturer Lockheed Martin, there are only nine THAAD batteries in operation worldwide. In 2019, the most recent year available, seven of them were assigned to the U.S. Army, including five at bases in Texas and one in Guam and South Korea. The gun batteries ordered by the Biden administration from Israel are likely to be among those seven.
The other two are based in the United Arab Emirates.
Nearly a year ago, the Pentagon announced it would send THAAD batteries to the Middle East to defend Israel, but did not say where.
How is it used?
Fabian Hintz, a missile and Middle East expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, said that because THAAD can reach high into the atmosphere, it should be able to intercept ballistic missiles launched from Iran or Yemen. It can also shoot down short-range missiles fired by neighboring Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
Iran and its allies have also launched guided cruise missiles and drones that fly at much lower altitudes and speeds than ballistic missiles.
Kalisky said THAAD would be especially useful in intercepting debris when other missiles are shot down before they fall to the ground where they could cause casualties or damage infrastructure. . (He also said THAAD has better radar that can detect incoming missiles from greater distances.)
But given that some Iranian missiles evaded Israeli interceptors during this month’s barrage, Hintz said it would likely serve as an urgently needed air defense layer. Iran is more than 800 miles from Israel.
“We now know that Iran’s strategy is to fire a massive salvo to overwhelm Israel’s defenses,” Hintz said. “Any additional interception capability would be very helpful.”
How is it different from other Israeli air defense systems?
It’s primarily a question of range, or how far a missile can fly. THAAD has a range of approximately 125 miles. Its launcher and command center can be moved to another site.
Kalisky likened THAAD to one of Israel’s main defense systems, the David Sling, a fixed-position weapon that can shoot down short- and intermediate-range ballistic and cruise missiles. It has a firing range of approximately 185 miles, and is also a “one-hit-kill” weapon that can kill targets by flying. David’s Sling is co-produced by Raytheon and Israeli arms production company Rafael.
Then there is the Israeli Arrow series, manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries and Boeing.
The Arrow 2 can intercept targets above the atmosphere at an altitude of about 30 miles and a range of about 60 miles. It is carried on a fragmentation warhead packed with explosives, which can detonate near the incoming missile even if it does not directly hit the target.
Another lethal weapon, the Arrow 3, can fly above the atmosphere with a range of up to 1,500 miles. It is one of Israel’s most advanced defense facilities and was used to counter the Iranian attack on October 1st. Arrow 2 and Arrow 3 are both ground-based mobile launchers.
The Iron Dome system is probably the best known of Israel’s air defense systems, primarily because it is used more than any other system. Just 6 inches wide and 10 feet long, the short-range interceptor uses small sensors and computer guidance to zero in on short-range rockets. It is manufactured by Israeli defense contractor Rafael.
