What is “Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)”, sometimes seen in the news?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (c) An American anti-missile system
THAAD is an American anti-missile system. It is a land-based system of the US Missile Defense Agency and US Army that destroys ballistic missiles in their final (terminal) phase of flight, using hit-to-kill interceptors.
- ✓ (c) THAAD batteries have a launcher, interceptors, an AN/TPY-2 radar and fire control. They are procured and fielded to the US Army, and the interceptor destroys the warhead by direct impact.
- ✗ (b) India's own anti-missile effort is the Ballistic Missile Defence programme of DRDO, which flight-tests indigenous interceptors. It is a separate programme from THAAD.
- ✗ (a) THAAD is developed and fielded by the United States (US Missile Defense Agency and US Army), not by Israel, and it is an interceptor system rather than only a radar.
- ✗ (d) THAAD is fielded to the US Army to protect US forces and allies. It is not a joint Japan–South Korea defence arrangement.
Remember · THAAD = Terminal High Altitude Area Defense: a US ground-based, hit-to-kill system against ballistic missiles in their terminal phase. India's own shield is DRDO's BMD.
Sources
- US Missile Defense Agency, THAAD fact sheet ↗ · reference work “intercept and destroy ballistic missiles inside or outside the atmosphere during their final, or terminal, phase of flight.”
- PIB (Ministry of Defence): DRDO flight-tests Phase-II Ballistic Missile Defence System ↗ “The test has demonstrated Nation’s indigenous capability to defend against the Ballistic Missiles of 5000 km class.”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2018, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·