Russia’s hypersonic weapons threat is a true challenge to the United States and its NATO allies. There are no current reliable defensive systems that can stop an incoming, fast, radically maneuvering hypersonic missile on its way to a NATO target. Experts in the West, however, argue that there is one system that just might have a chance—and only a slight chance, at that—at stopping an incoming Russian hypersonic weapon. 

That is the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system. Of course, the United States and its allies have but a handful of these important systems and, because of America’s many defense commitments and shambolic defense industrial base, there is little chance that THAAD will ever be tested against an incoming Russian hypersonic weapon.

After all, the Americans cannot afford to risk the safety of these limited number of systems in the event that Russian forces target the THAAD for destruction. If those systems are lost in combat, then there would be little hope they could be replaced in a timely manner, given the high demand and limited supply of these systems (in light of America’s aforementioned defense industrial base weaknesses).

So, the Americans are in a pickle, to say the least. Then again, the THAAD System is not guaranteed to stop these radical, new Russian hypersonic weapons.

The THAAD System 

According to the Teal Group, THAAD is a “mobile system designed for expeditionary defense against missiles such as Russia’s Oreshnik [hypersonic missile].” Originally designed in the 1980s to stop Soviet missile barrages in the upper atmosphere, this was to be America and NATO’s silver bullet, if you’ll pardon the pun, if the Cold War ever turned hot.

One of the most important elements of THAAD is the radar system that comes along with the missile system (to be more precise, THAAD is both a missile and radar defense system rolled into one). It was but one segment of a larger Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) that was born out of the Reagan administration’s commitment to creating a viable national missile defense shield. THAAD was to be used in conjunction with shorter-range defensive systems, such as the Patriot missile defense system.

Each THAAD battery includes six truck-mounted launchers, each with eight interceptors, an advanced radar system, and fire control and communications equipment. What’s more, they require at least ninety-five soldiers to operate the system. The system can intercept missiles 125 miles out, and not only in the upper atmosphere, but in rare cases, outside the atmosphere as well.

The United States has just seven of these THAAD missile defense batteries at its disposal, with an eighth scheduled for deployment sometime in 2025. By all means, Lockheed and the Pentagon, take your sweet time!

Currently, two of the batteries are deployed permanently in Guam and South Korea. 

A third was deployed to the Middle East in 2023. Following the horrific events of the October 7 Iran-backed Hamas terrorist attacks, the United States sent another THAAD system to the Middle East, directly to Israel. It has been essential in helping to defend Israel from incoming Iranian missiles.

No THAAD for Ukraine. Ever. 

Ukraine has been demanding that the United States hand over this proprietary and highly advanced system. Of course, the Americans, while clearly being loose with the hard-earned tax dollars of Americans and other defensive systems, rightly fears that the THAAD will be lost in battle. Or, that the THAAD could be “leaked” over to Russia or another foreign power, thereby allowing for American rivals to rapidly catch up to the United States in missile defense technology.

Anyway, even if the THAAD were deployed, despite what its designers say, trying to stop hypersonic cruise missile barrages is easier said than done. One thing that the THAAD system can do is to detect and track these incoming attacks better than most other systems. Yet, intercepting incoming Russian hypersonic weapons will be difficult for this system, if not impossible.

Nevertheless, it is believed that the THAAD system is the only (albeit rudimentary) capability that the Americans possess that can stop an incoming hypersonic weapons attack. The Pentagon must find a way to scale the production of these systems and deploy them to better defend against Russia’s growing hypersonic weapons threat. More importantly, the Pentagon must dedicate considerable time and resources into developing real defenses against hypersonic weapons.

Brandon J. Weichert, a National Interest national security analyst, is a former Congressional staffer and geopolitical analyst who is a contributor at The Washington Times, the Asia Times, and The-Pipeline. He is the author of Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His next book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine, is available for purchase wherever books are sold. Weichert can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.