April 16,2008:
The U.S. Army is forming the first of four anti-ballistic missile (ABM)
batteries. This unit will be ready for combat in two years, using the THAAD
missile. The other three batteries will be in service within five years. Fifteen months ago, there was a successful
test of THAAD (a SCUD type target was destroyed in flight) using a crew of
soldiers for the first time, and not manufacturer technicians, to operate the
system.
Each THAAD
battery will have 24 missiles, three launchers and a fire control
communications system. This will include an X-Band radar. The gear for each
battery will cost $310 million. The 18 foot long THAAD missiles weigh 1,400
pounds. This is about the same size as the Patriot anti-aircraft missile, but
twice the weight of the anti-missile version of the Patriot. The range of THAAD
is 200 kilometers, max altitude is 150 kilometers, and it is intended for short
(like SCUD) or medium range (up to 2,000 kilometer) range ballistic missiles.
THAAD has been in development for two decades. Ultimately, the army would like
to buy at least 18 launchers, 1,400 missiles, and 18 radars.
THAAD
is a step up from the Patriot PAC-3
anti-missile (which is an anti-aircraft missile adapted to take out incoming
missiles). The PAC-3 works, but it has limited (20 kilometers) range. The navy
has also modified its Standard anti-aircraft missile system to operate like the
PAC-3. This system, the RIM-161A, also known as the Standard Missile 3 (or
SM-3), has a longer range than THAAD (over 500 kilometers) and max altitude of
160 kilometers. missiles. The Standard 3 is based on the failed anti-missile
version of the Standard 2, and costs over three million dollars each. The
Standard 3 has four stages. The first two stages boost the interceptor out of
the atmosphere. The third stage fires twice to boost the interceptor farther
beyond the earth's atmosphere. Prior to each motor firing it takes a GPS
reading to correct course for approaching the target. The fourth stage is the
20 pound LEAP kill vehicle, which uses infrared sensors to close on the target
and ram it.
Thus the
U.S. has three anti-missile systems, although one of them currently only
operates from warships (cruisers and destroyers that have been equipped with
the special software that enables the AEGIS radar system to detect and track
incoming ballistic missiles.)