(http://www.missiledefenseadvocacy.org)
announced today that the"successful intercept test of the Terminal High
Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system demonstrates confidence in
our country's missile defense systems and will further dissuade Iran
and North Korea from seeking to coerce and threaten with ballistic
missiles." This intercept is the sixth successful missile defense test
in the last 10 months, which collectively represents all of our current
near terms systems; the Ground Based Interceptors, the Sea Based
Interceptors, and the land mobile based interceptors to include the
Patriot 3 and THAAD missile defense systems.
The
missile defense intercept occurred today at 2:47 a.m. EDT at the
Pacific Missile Test Facility in Kauai, Hawaii. The THAAD interceptor
launched one of its defensive missiles from PMRF in Kauai and
intercepted a single stage "SCUD"-type ballistic missile inside the
earth's atmosphere. The target was launched over the horizon from a
sea-based mobile platform representing a realistic asymmetrical threat
off the coast of Kauai in the Pacific Ocean. In addition, the THAAD
intercept test used integrated and real time over the horizon
communications between other deployed missile defense systems including
the SBIRS space satellite, an Aegis ship, and our Command, Control,
Battle Management and Communications System. "This clearly represents a
realistic operational test that involves a multitude of our current
missile defense systems working together in a realistic threat
scenario," said Ellison. It is of note that three countries have tested
ballistic missiles launched from sea-based platforms, Iran being one of
them.
This was the third
successful intercept for the current THAAD program, the forty-fifth
successful missile defense intercept since 1999 which equates to 81%
success rate for all systems.
Ellison
believes that "Our nation's success with missile defense testing sends
confidence to our Administration and Congress to continue to deploy and
develop these systems so necessary to protect our population and to
counter those nations seeking to develop ballistic missiles."
The
THAAD system is a part of the layered-defense in which it intercepts an
incoming missile in the terminal phase between the upper atmosphere and
lower space to defend wide regional areas. The current deployed
ground-based interceptors and the Aegis sea-based interceptors
intercept in higher space while the theater Patriot 3 systems intercept
in the lower atmosphere. THAAD deployments could begin as early as 2008
with four batteries having been requested in the FY 2008 budget. The
THAAD batteries will most likely be deployed to Korea, Europe, and the
United States. Placement of the THAAD in Turkey and Greece could
supplement the current proposed third European interceptor base to
fully protect all of Europe and our armed forces there.
Ellison
also pointed out that Representative Ellen Tauscher (D-CA), Chair of
the House Armed Services Committee Subcommittee on Strategic Forces,
said in a recent hearing "In the final analysis, we as Congress and the
Administration are all responsible for protecting the American people
and our deployed forces against missile threats."
In
closing, Ellison congratulated the Department of Defense and the
Missile Defense Agency. "The successful of testing THAAD is
outstanding, and we at MDAA applaud the Department of Defense and the
MDA team."