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News | Oct. 1, 2020

Missile Defense Agency and U.S. Army Test Interoperability of THAAD and Patriot Missile Defense Systems

By Missile Defense Agency Missile Defense Agency

FORT BELVOIR, Va.  –  

The Missile Defense Agency, U.S. Army Program Executive Office Missiles and Space, and U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command successfully conducted a test of the Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) weapon systems from White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. The test, designated Flight Test Patriot Weapon System (FTP)-27, consisted of two events which took place today and earlier this year.

Today, the THAAD Army-Navy/Transportable Radar Surveillance and Control Model 2 (AN/TPY-2) detected and tracked the Black Dagger target and successfully provided data to the Patriot weapon system to determine a launch solution. The Patriot weapon system successfully achieved an intercept of the target with a Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptor using data provided by the THAAD AN/TPY-2 radar.

During the first event on February 20, 2020, the THAAD Army-Navy/Transportable Radar Surveillance and Control Model 2 (AN/TPY-2) also detected and tracked the Black Dagger target and successfully provided data to the Patriot weapon system to determine a launch solution. On that occasion, an intercept was not achieved due to an interceptor software upgrade error which has since been corrected, as demonstrated by today's successful intercept.

"The success of FTP-27 validates the interoperability of the Patriot and THAAD weapon systems," said MDA Director Vice Adm. Jon Hill. "This capability is vital to the Ballistic Missile Defense System to defend against rogue threats to our homeland, deployed forces and allies."

In addition, FTP-27 meets the requirements of the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act for the MDA and U.S. Army to annually test the interoperability and integration of the Patriot and THAAD weapon systems.

Please direct all media related queries to Mark Wright, at 571-231-8212, Mark.Wright@mda.mil or Latonja Martin, 256-450-3239, Latonja.Martin@mda.mil.