United States proposes to deploy THAAD air defense missile system in South Korea 13005153

Defence & Security News - South Korea
 
United States proposes to deploy THAAD air defense missile system in South Korea.
U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) said Saturday, May 30, 2015, the possible deployment of the U.S. THAAD advanced missile defense system on Korean soil should be considered as threats by North Korea have grown. As an integral part of the U.S.-led missile defense system, it is designed to shoot down short, medium and intermediate ballistic missiles at a higher altitude in their terminal phase using a hit-to-kill method.
     
U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) said Saturday, May 30, 2015, the possible deployment of the U.S. advanced missile defense system on Korean soil should be considered as threats by North Korea have grown. As an integral part of the U.S.-led missile defense system, it is designed to shoot down short, medium and intermediate ballistic missiles at a higher altitude in their terminal phase using a hit-to-kill method. THAAD Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (Air Defense Missile System) mobile unit launcher.
     
"The THAAD system is a very effective and excellent deterrent. I think it is something that has to be considered in light of recent information about the advanced step North Korea has made," McCain said in a press conference in Singapore on the sidelines of the Asia Security Summit, also known as the Shangri-La Dialogue.

Washington has expressed its willingness to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery on the Korean Peninsula to better protect South Korea and the some 28,000 U.S. troops stationed in the country from North Korea's threats.

The communist North has ratcheted up tensions on the peninsula particularly in recent months. Earlier this month, Pyongyang announced that it had successfully fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile, while claiming that it has already made nuclear warheads small enough to fit on a missile.

The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) of Lockheed Martin , a key element of the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS), is designed to defend U.S. troops, allied forces, population centers, and critical infrastructure against short and medium range ballistic missiles.

The THAAD is able to intercept tactical and theatre ballistic missiles at ranges of 200km and at altitudes up to 150km.