How IRGC Defeats THAAD Interceptors

Iran, Middle East Politics, Warfare and Technology 1 Minute

Originally published 17 Feb 2024; updated 13 Oct 2024

Visual on how ballistic missiles usually travel

Lockheed Martin’s ‘Terminal High Altitude Area Defense’ (THAAD) is the only American system designed to intercept targets outside and inside the atmosphere. However, IRGC Aerospace’s ‘Great Prophet’ exercise, 13–15 February 2024, demonstrated that Iran’s ‘Dezful’ medium-range ballistic missile’s MaRV is capable of maneuvering below THAAD’s ‘engagement envelope’ to reach its target.

Illustration of how Iranian MaRV defeats THAAD

IRGC’s ‘Dezful’ MRBM and ‘Khaybar-Shekan’ (model 2) MRBM reach 135 km maximum altitude, meaning, they fly on a ‘depressed trajectory.’ Cf. the illustration of North Korea’s ‘Nodong,’ which has a higher apogee than ‘Dezful,’ and falls well into the ‘kill envelope.’

‘Dezful’ is able to get inside THAAD’s engagement envelope at 80 to 90 km altitude. Its MaRV then flies below the THAAD ‘kill envelope.’ The minimum THAAD intercept altitude is 38–40 km.

Update of 13 October 2024

Explanation on Twitter by Iranian aerospace engineer on performance by THAAD system against Iranian Khaybar-Shekan-2 ballistic missile.

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