The Patriot Files Forums  

Go Back   The Patriot Files Forums > Conflict posts > Korea

Post New Thread  Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 03-07-2017, 11:04 AM
Boats's Avatar
Boats Boats is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sauk Village, IL
Posts: 21,784
Cool U.S. Army missile defense battery arrives in South Korea

U.S. Army missile defense battery arrives in South Korea
By: Jen Judson, March 7, 2017 (Photo Credit: Courtesy of Seventh Air Force Public Affairs)
RE: http://www.defensenews.com/articles/...in-south-korea

WASHINGTON -- The long-awaited U.S. Army-owned Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system has started to arrive on the Korean peninsula in pieces.

The “first elements” of the THAAD system have landed in South Korea at Yongsan Garrison in order to “solely” defend against North Korean missiles, according to a statement from U.S. Pacific Command issued late Monday night.

The statement took pains to note THAAD is “strictly a defensive system” in the wake of China’s opposition to the THAAD deployment in South Korea.

The U.S. and South Korea decided officially in July last year to deploy the THAAD system to the country as North Korea continues to conduct intermediate-range ballistic missile launches. These tests are growing in number and complexity.

The two countries had been conducting informal discussions for years on whether to deploy the system but entered into formal discussions in February 2016.

The battery will be operated by U.S. Forces Korea.

Each THAAD unit consists of six truck-mounted launchers, 49 interceptors, a fire-control and communications unit, and an AN/TPY-2 radar.

The first THAAD battery — and currently the only deployed system — was set up expediently in Guam several years ago to protect U.S. forces and allies in response to North Korean aggression. That battery appears to be there for the long haul.
__________________
Boats

O Almighty Lord God, who neither slumberest nor sleepest; Protect and assist, we beseech thee, all those who at home or abroad, by land, by sea, or in the air, are serving this country, that they, being armed with thy defence, may be preserved evermore in all perils; and being filled with wisdom and girded with strength, may do their duty to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"IN GOD WE TRUST"
sendpm.gif Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
  #2  
Old 03-07-2017, 11:06 AM
Boats's Avatar
Boats Boats is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sauk Village, IL
Posts: 21,784
Default

THAAD To Officially Deploy to South Korea
By: Jen Judson, July 7, 2016
RE: http://www.defensenews.com/story/def...ppen/82803470/

WASHINGTON — The placement of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system on the Korean Peninsula is going to happen, Defense SecretaryAsh Carter said Friday.

Asked at the Council of Foreign Relations if THAAD systems would be placed on the peninsula, Carter was direct, saying “Oh, it’s gonna happen.”

“It’s a necessary thing. It's between us and the South Korea, it about protecting our own forces on the Korean peninsula and about protecting South Korea. It has nothing to do with the Chinese,” Carter said. “We need to defend our own people, we need to defend our own allies.”

Following the recent spate of North Korean missile tests, South Korea officially opened discussion with the US on placing THAAD in South Korea. But the question of setting up a THAAD system has been a tense one with China, which views the radar system as a way for the US to spy into its territory. Each THAAD unit consists of six truck-mounted launchers, 49 interceptors, a fire control and communications unit, and an AN/TPY-2 radar.

Chinese officials have publicly attempted to dissuade the US and South Korea from coming to an agreement on THAAD, leading Adm. Harry Harris, head of US Pacific Command, to hit back in a February briefing.

“China's interference in a decision that's to be made between alliance partners — the Republic of Korea and the United States — their inference in that process is preposterous, especially when you consider that THAAD is not a threat to China,” Harris said.

Like Harris, Carter Friday cast the THAAD issue as one between the US and South Korea, but said he was “quite encouraged” by strengthening bilateral ties between Seoul and Beijing.

He added he wished “the Chinese would work with us, or work bilaterally with North Korea more effectively bilaterally, although it’s easy to say that… at heading off the missile challenge in the first place.”

Email: amehta@defensenews.com
__________________
Boats

O Almighty Lord God, who neither slumberest nor sleepest; Protect and assist, we beseech thee, all those who at home or abroad, by land, by sea, or in the air, are serving this country, that they, being armed with thy defence, may be preserved evermore in all perils; and being filled with wisdom and girded with strength, may do their duty to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"IN GOD WE TRUST"
sendpm.gif Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 03-07-2017, 11:08 AM
Boats's Avatar
Boats Boats is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sauk Village, IL
Posts: 21,784
Default

Army Weighing THAAD Deployments in Europe, Middle East
By: Jen Judson, March 22, 2016
RE: http://www.defensenews.com/story/def...east/82127616/

WASHINGTON — A possible deployment of the Army’s Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System to South Korea is still being discussed, but the service is also looking at possibly sending THAAD batteries to the European and Central Command areas of operations, the commanding general of Army Space and Missile Defense Command said.

“There’s a requirement coming out of EUCOM and also out of CENTCOM and so what we are looking at right now is how do we ensure that we meet the regional missile defense requirements, but at the same time retain flexibility to respond to the unknown,” Lt. Gen. David Mann told a group of reporters at the Pentagon Tuesday.

The Army will have five operational THAAD units by the end of the year, Mann noted, as demand signals for the capability grow across multiple regions. The Army still has a requirement for nine batteries but has only funded seven THAAD batteries in the five-year defense plan.

Mann added that employing THAAD to a specific location requires some preparation such as leveling the ground and ensuring the safety of operators from things like radiation, so deploying a battery takes longer than its lower-tier missile defense counterpart, the Patriot air-and-missile defense system.

The Army will provide THAAD deployment options to the Defense Department “while also making sure that we retain flexibility from a global response force standpoint,” Mann said.

One THAAD battery has been deployed in Guam for several years to protect US forces and allies in response to North Korean aggression. That battery appears to be there for the long haul.

And following North Korea’s recent missile testing and launching a payload into orbit, South Korea and the US have begun to discuss more seriously the possibility of deploying a THAAD battery to the North Korean border, Mann said.

No decision has been made yet due to several complicating factors including China’s opposition to a THAAD deployment in South Korea. “This is a very sensitive issue for the partners throughout the region,” Mann said, “especially when you look at South Korea, one of the largest trading partners, China, in the region, and so we don’t minimize the sensitivity of these discussions,” Mann said.

The three-star added that while the South Koreans and the US are “entering into discussion to really look at the feasibility, no decision has been made on deploying the system.”

THAAD “would obviously be a huge increase in capability, really proving more of a layered missile defense there on the peninsula,” Mann said, adding, “it’s very, very important that we clarify that that radar, that system, is not looking at China. That system is oriented, if the decision is made to deploy it, that system would be oriented on North Korea.”

Japan is also said to be interested in the THAAD capability, but Mann said he would not speculate on the country’s desires for additional missile defense capability. The US has already deployed two AN/TPY-2 radars to Japan.

Email: jjudson@defensenews.com
__________________
Boats

O Almighty Lord God, who neither slumberest nor sleepest; Protect and assist, we beseech thee, all those who at home or abroad, by land, by sea, or in the air, are serving this country, that they, being armed with thy defence, may be preserved evermore in all perils; and being filled with wisdom and girded with strength, may do their duty to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"IN GOD WE TRUST"
sendpm.gif Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

All times are GMT -7. The time now is 03:12 AM.


Powered by vBulletin, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.