This Sunday, October 13, the Pentagon, the headquarters of the American army, announced the deployment of an anti-aircraft shield, a THAAD battery, in the Middle Eastern country. This decision follows the use of a particular missile by the Iranian army which managed to pierce the one set up by the Israeli army.
“It’s not the first time”
As indicated in the Department of Defense press release, the Pentagon has therefore decided to deploy an anti-aircraft system in the region where conflicts have raged for many years.
To justify its deployment, the Pentagon explains that it is being done because of the unprecedented attacks on the country bordering Jordan and Lebanon. Indeed, on April 13, 2024 and October 1 of the same year, Iran used a particular missile which had succeeded in thwarting the current anti-aircraft shield of the Israeli army, Arrow 3.
Finally, in conclusion of the communication made by the state representatives of the US Army, we also learn that the THAAD system has already been deployed in the region.
“This is not the first time that the United States has deployed a THAAD battery in the region. The President had ordered its deployment following October 7 in order to defend American troops and interests in the region.”
What is the THAAD system?
THAAD or Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (High Altitude Antimissile Defense System in French) is an American device in service since 2008.
Its role, as its name suggests, is to defend an area against specific and possibly devastating missiles of medium or intermediate range. A THAAD battery therefore consists of missiles carrying no explosive charge which aim to crash into other missiles before they reach their target.
Designed by Lockheed Martina company specializing in defense, the THAAD system must therefore, within a few minutes, detect the missile(s), determine their trajectory as well as their speed to allow non-explosive missiles to intercept them.
An autonomous battery?
We know that artificial intelligence is the crux of the matter in terms of innovation in the field. However, for THAAD, there is no robot that must make a decision, but humans.
In this sense, in addition to the THAAD system, composed of several missile launchers as well as highly sophisticated radars, the American army will also deploy several trained troops on the ground to pilot the battery.
The objective behind this is therefore to show the American presence in the face of the threat presented by Iran in the region as a whole. Especially since according to information from BFM, the Iranian missile used on October 1, 2024 may be able to carry with it a nuclear warhead.
Source : AP / BFM / US Department of Defense
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