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United States Lockheed Martin
THAAD
A U.S. Army theater ballistic-missile defense system designed to intercept short-, medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles inside and just outside the atmosphere in their terminal phase. It uses a hit-to-kill interceptor with no explosive warhead, destroying targets through kinetic impact alone.
In service since 2008 · 5 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-01
200
km range
150,000
m altitude
24
targets
1,000
km radar
💲 ≈ $1,000,000,000, Approximate cost per battery including radar and interceptors
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Established · 5 operators
In service since 2008. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$2.5B – $3.5B
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~25 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price. How we estimate this →
Interoperability
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Overview
THAAD is the United States' dedicated upper-tier terminal defense: a hit-to-kill interceptor designed to destroy short- to intermediate-range ballistic missiles inside or just above the atmosphere, using nothing but kinetic impact. Its AN/TPY-2 X-band radar is one of the most powerful mobile radars ever fielded, able to track warheads at ranges commonly cited around 1,000 km and to cue other defenses across an entire theater. A battery's six launchers hold 48 ready interceptors, and THAAD's flight-test record, a long unbroken string of successful intercepts, is unmatched among ballistic-missile defenses.
The system's combat debut came in 2022, and the 2026 Iran war made it indispensable: US THAAD batteries in Israel and the Gulf engaged medium-range ballistic missiles alongside Arrow and Patriot in history's most intense missile-defense campaign. Post-ceasefire analyses focused less on hit rates than on magazine depth, interceptor expenditure ran far ahead of production, pushing THAAD stockpiles to the center of Washington's munitions-industrial debate.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters. | 8.24 Mach |
|---|---|
| Engagement range Maximum distance at which an air-defense system can intercept targets. Higher covers more airspace. | 200 km |
| Engagement altitude Maximum target altitude the system can reach. | 150,000 m |
| Simultaneous targets Number of targets the system can engage at once. Higher resists saturation attacks. | 24 |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | THAAD hit-to-kill interceptor |
|---|---|
| Warhead type Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable. | Hit-to-kill kinetic (no explosive warhead) |
| Guidance How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire. | Inertial + infrared seeker homing |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art. | AN/TPY-2 X-band radar |
|---|---|
| Radar range Published detection range against a typical fighter-sized target. Higher sees first. | 1,000 km |
| Datalink Network connectivity: Link 16, MADL, national datalinks. Enables cooperative engagement. | Link 16, C2BMC |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $1,000,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 5 |
Specifications compiled from public Lockheed Martin and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-01.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Rheinmetall Skyranger 30 
KBP Instrument Design Bureau Pantsir-S1 Head-to-head comparisons
THAAD vs
HQ-19 
Arrow 3 
NASAMS 
SAMP/T (Aster 30) Frequently asked questions
What is the engagement range of the Lockheed Martin THAAD? +
The Lockheed Martin THAAD has a maximum engagement range of 200 km.
What is the main armament of the Lockheed Martin THAAD? +
The Lockheed Martin THAAD's primary weapon is the THAAD hit-to-kill interceptor.
What is the Lockheed Martin THAAD used for? +
The Lockheed Martin THAAD is a air defense system typically used for air defense.
How many countries operate the Lockheed Martin THAAD? +
The Lockheed Martin THAAD is operated by 5 countries.
How much does the Lockheed Martin THAAD cost? +
The Lockheed Martin THAAD has an approximate unit cost of 1,000,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
Similar systems
Raytheon (RTX)
Patriot GEM-T
Raytheon (RTX)
Patriot PAC-3
Raytheon (RTX)
Patriot PAC-2
Almaz-Antey
S-400 Triumf
Related coverage
THAAD in the news
News digest · Aug 15, 2026
The Interceptor Math Breaks: Inside a Week of Defense Shortfalls
Zelensky says Ukraine receives 1% of the Patriot interceptors it needs, and every fix on the table this week, from lasers to new motors, is years away.
Article guide · Aug 14, 2026
Only 4 of 57 Air Defenses Claim to Reach Space
Of 57 air-defense systems that publish an altitude ceiling, only 4 claim to reach above the Kármán line, the internationally recognized edge of space.
News procurement · Aug 14, 2026
Lockheed Wins $211M Deal for New UAE THAAD Launchers
A Missile Defense Agency contract modification funds new Configuration 3 THAAD launchers for the UAE, pushing the Gulf ally's FMS case past $1 billion in total value.
Article industry · Aug 12, 2026
Patriot Stocks Fell 65%, Rebuild Takes 42 Months
CSIS estimates Patriot interceptor stocks fell 65% during the Iran war. The Army's new $58.6B contract still takes 42 months to deliver one.
News procurement · Aug 9, 2026
Pentagon Gives Arms Makers 21 Days to Speed Up Production
Deputy Defense Secretary Feinberg told industry to submit faster delivery plans within 21 days after the Iran war cut Patriot stocks by two-thirds.
News digest · Aug 8, 2026
No Missiles for the Patriots: Inside Ukraine's Interceptor Math
A second barrage exposed how thin Ukraine's air defense has become, while contractors raced to fill gaps in orbit, supply chains, and cost.
Article guide · Aug 4, 2026
What 'Simultaneous Targets' Means on a SAM Spec Sheet
NASAMS claims 72 simultaneous targets, twice the S-400's 36, despite a 16th of its range. Across 41 systems, the number tracks radar architecture, not range.
News procurement · Aug 4, 2026
Pentagon Bypasses Primes, Inks Direct Deals to Quadruple THAAD Output
New framework agreements with Northrop Grumman and L3Harris target rocket motors and structural parts directly, a break from prime-contractor-only procurement.
Article industry · Aug 1, 2026
Radar Range vs. Engagement Range in Air Defense
44 air-defense systems publish both a radar range and an engagement range. The gap spans 10x to a reversed 0.3x, showing which batteries fight alone.
News conflict · Jul 27, 2026
Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel All Down Drones in One Morning
Saudi Arabia intercepted drones from Iraq, and Jordan and Israel separately downed UAVs near their border, in one morning of regional drone spillover.
comparison · Jul 26, 2026
What 'Range' Means on an Air-Defense Spec Sheet
Across 68 air-defense systems in our database, published range spans 3 km to 3,000 km, a 1,000x gap that is three missions, not one spec race.
Article guide · Jul 16, 2026
The 10 Best Ballistic Missile Defense Systems 2026
A 10-to-1 countdown of the best ballistic missile defense systems of 2026, ranked on real intercept record, envelope, export scale and maturity.
Article industry · Jul 14, 2026
Why Air-Defense Cost Figures Don't Compare
Only 12 of 70 air-defense systems in the database publish a cost, and those figures price different things: single rounds vs whole batteries.
News digest · Jun 1, 2026
May 2026 in review: Ukraine's deadliest month, Oreshnik doubts
Ukraine logged its worst civilian toll in four years as Russia's Oreshnik hypersonic missile misfired, while Washington tripled Patriot output, cleared AI firms for classified work, and Sweden sealed a Gripen deal.