THAAD’s unique capability to defeat ballistic missiles adds and integrates to the four current deployed systems (SM3, PAC 3, PAC 2 and GBI) as a layered defensive teammate. THAAD’s responsibility is defend the upper atmosphere and lower part of space between where the Ground-and Sea-Based Interceptors defend in Space at the mid-course range to where the Patriot Air Defense defends in lower altitude. This high altitude terminal defense using the effects on the targets re-entry into the earths atmosphere to discriminate the countermeasures and decoys, as well as having additional intercept opportunities at any missed intercepts by the sea-or ground-based interceptors in addition to acquiring and destroying short-and medium-range missiles on their own. The THAAD component enhances the effectiveness of the overall Missile Defense system.

In light of the realistic operational testing being done on Missile Defense, we at MDAA are providing a scorecard and information from the current and previous tests of the three major deployable missile defense systems. Those three systems are the Ground Based Interceptors (GBI), the Standard Missile Three (SM3) and the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD).

Realistic Operational Testing Results

System Last Test Date # of Tests

THAAD 3 0 1.00 W-3 7/12/06 3

SM3 7 1 .870 W-4 6/22/06 8

GBI 5 .550 L-2 2/14/05 9

As the world continues to rapidly proliferate ballistic missiles of which the short range missiles are the most exponential in growth, it is clear that it would be very challenging and certainly impossible for an unsophisticated regime or entity to design a ballistic missile capable of defeating all four of our current missile defense systems when they are fully operational and deployed.