The U.S. Department of Defense announced on April 8 that Lockheed Martin is being awarded a $74,085,614 modification to a previously-awarded contract (HQ0147-17-C-0032) for the production of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) ground equipment to support the U.S. government. The total maximum ceiling value of this contract is increased from $7,760,614,995 to $7,834,700,609.
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Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile launcher (Picture source: U.S. DoD)
Under this contract modification, Lockheed Martin will provide six launchers, THAAD Fire Control and Communication (TFCC), and associated Peculiar Support Equipment (PSE) under firm-fixed-price and fixed-price incentive (firm target) contract line items. The work will be performed in Dallas, Texas; Lufkin, Texas; and Camden, Arkansas. The period of performance is from April 8, 2022, to Sept. 30, 2025. Fiscal 2021 procurement funds in the amount of $74,085,614 are being obligated at time of award. The Missile Defense Agency, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity.
Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), formerly Theater High Altitude Area Defense, is an anti-ballistic missile defense system designed to shoot down short-, medium-, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles in their terminal phase (descent or reentry) by intercepting with a hit-to-kill approach. THAAD was developed after the experience of Iraq's Scud missile attacks during the Gulf War in 1991. The THAAD interceptor carries no warhead but relies on its kinetic energy of the impact to destroy the incoming missile. A kinetic energy hit minimizes the risk of exploding conventional-warhead ballistic missiles, and the warhead of nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles will not detonate upon a kinetic energy hit.
Originally a U.S. 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 ("Aegis ashore"). THAAD was originally scheduled for deployment in 2012, but its 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 medium-range ballistic missile in the UAE.
