The South Korean Ministry of Defense announced that the U.S. military will be allowed to install four more THAAD launchers at the site in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province after the Ministry of Environment concluded that the full deployment would have only a small impact on the people and neighboring environment. This decision comes after the...
On July 29, South Korean officials said the country will allow the deployment of four additional Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) launchers. The four THAAD units are already in South Korea, but President Moon Jae-in had delayed deployment pending an environmental assessment. Two THAAD units have been deployed since May 2017. On July 30,...
On July 30, the United States conducted an intercept test of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system. The test was deemed successful, with THAAD intercepting a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) target. This was the 15th successful intercept in 15 attempts for the operational version of the THAAD weapon system. The Missile...
On July 11, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency conducted an intercept test of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD). The test, designated Flight Test THAAD (FTT)-18, was successful. The test took place in Kodiak, Alaska, and was the first time that the THAAD system intercepted an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) representative target. This was...
On June 20, the House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee released its proposals for the Fiscal Year 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The Subcommittee will meet at 10:30 AM on Thursday, June 22 to publicly discuss the mark. The proposals include several key reforms and updates on U.S. missile defense policy, including: requiring the...
According to a report published on June 8, the news agency received and confirmed a White House document detailing the $110 billion U.S.-Saudi arms proposal made on May 20. The document includes $13.5 billion for seven THAAD batteries, with an estimated delivery time of 2023-2026. The proposal also includes $6.65 billion for enhancements to Saudi’s Patriot...
On June 7, South Korean president Moon Jae-in suspended further deployment of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to South Korea. The move comes after revelations the South Korean Ministry of Defense failed to report to President Moon’s government the deployment of four additional THAAD launchers to the country beyond the two...
Missile threats facing both the United States and its allies in the Asia-Pacific are increasing in complexity, number, and source. In response, the Trump administration is using missile defenses to boost military capability and signal resolve, as indicated by the deployment of THAAD to South Korea...
On May 1, 2017, U.S. officials declared that the THAAD missile defense system in South Korea has reached initial operational capability. According to Col. Robert Manning III, a spokesman for the United States Forces Korea, the system “is operational and has the ability to intercept North Korean missiles.” The South Korean Defense Ministry echoed Manning’s...
The defense authorization act signed into law in December 2016 contained an important provision mandating a review of missile defeat policy, strategy, and capability, to be completed and submitted to Congress in January 2018. This Missile Defeat Review (MDR) appears likely to serve as a successor to both the Department of Defense’s 2010 Ballistic Missile...
