Germany requests new weapon systems to US including THAAD air defense missile systems.

According to information published by the International Press Agency Reuters on March 17, 2022, following the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian armed forces end the use of ballistic missiles, Germany has requested new weapons and military equipment from the United States including the THAAD Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, an air defense missile system.
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A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or (THAAD) weapon system assigned to Task Force Talon, 94th Army Air and Missile Defense Command on Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Oct. 26, 2017. (Picture source U.S. DoD)

In 2010, Germany completed an analysis of air defense alternatives and strongly recommended MEADS as the basis for improving Germany's missile defense shield and as Germany's contribution to the European Phased Adaptive Approach.

The Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) is a ground-mobile air and missile defense system which was developed to replace the American-made Hawk and Patriot air defense systems. The prime contractor, MEADS International, is a multinational joint venture headquartered in Orlando, Florida. Its participating companies are MBDA Italia, MBDA Deutschland, and Lockheed Martin.

In June 2015 Germany announced a plan to acquire the Medium Extended Air Defense System. The system had to replace the military's current Patriot system by 2025. Germany had planned to purchase eight or 10 units but today, according to military sources, Germany abandoned the purchase of the MEADS due to its too high cost and invest instead in the next-generation Patriot system equipped with a promising GhostEye all-round radar (formerly known as LTAMDS) developed by the American Raytheon Corporation.

With the situation in Ukraine, Germany would like to accelerate the acquisition of a new air defense missile system able to counter ballistic missiles and other new aerial threats. A few days ago, Germany announced its intention to buy American-made F-35s stealth fighter aircraft, and now, the German government inquires about the possibility of acquiring the THAAD air defense missile system.

The THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Air Defense) is an easily transportable defensive weapon system that was designed to protect against hostile incoming threats such as tactical and theatre ballistic missiles at ranges of 200 km and at altitudes up to 150 km. Unlike other missile defense systems, THAAD can intercept targets within (endoatmospheric) and outside (exoatmospheric) the atmosphere.