The United States may consider deploying the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) missile defense system on Israeli territory, accompanied by U.S. personnel to operate it. Reports suggest that the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden is exploring this option as Israel prepares for a potential strike on Iran, though no final decision has been made yet. This information comes from the Times of Israel, citing an unnamed U.S. official.
Interestingly, other Israeli sources are reporting similar data, while also stressing that no final decision has been reached.
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Defense Express highlights the significance of these reports, noting that deploying the THAAD system, with its advanced capabilities, would also be highly relevant for Ukraine given the current conflict.
In December 2023, some Western media outlets reported that Ukraine's Ministry of Defense had requested the transfer of THAAD from the U.S. However, this request has not been publicly followed up since.
The THAAD system's key feature is its ability to intercept ballistic missiles at ranges of up to 200 kilometers and altitudes of 100-150 kilometers. Each anti-ballistic missile in the system weighs 900 kg, is 6.1 meters long, and travels at speeds of Mach 8.2, destroying targets through direct kinetic impact, following the hit-to-kill principle.
A single THAAD system includes up to six launchers, each capable of holding eight anti-ballistic missiles. For targeting and guidance, the system uses the AN/TPY-2 radar, which offers a 120-degree field of view and can detect threats at ranges between 1,000 to 2,000 kilometers, depending on the source.
One critical limitation of the THAAD system, however, is the relatively small number of launchers — only 42 units, or 7 batteries, according to The Military Balance 2023. Of these, one battery is deployed in South Korea, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, respectively.
The possibility of deploying THAAD in Israel indicates concerns that Israel’s current missile defense systems might not be sufficient to handle the potential missile threat from Iran.
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