What is THAAD? The powerful US anti-missile defense system is being sent to Israel – along with up to 100 supporting troops

 The THAAD defense system is one of the US military's most powerful missile defense weapons. It can intercept ballistic missiles with a range of 150-200 kilometers,

and has achieved a near-perfect success rate in tests. The THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) is the only US missile defense system that can engage and destroy short-, medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles both inside and outside the atmosphere, using a combination of advanced radar systems and interceptor missiles during the terminal phase of flight - or rushing towards the target. The THAAD interceptor missiles are kinetic, meaning h. They destroy the incoming target by impacting it, rather than by exploding near the incoming warhead. According to a  Congressional Research Service report, the US military has seven THAAD batteries, each consisting of six truck-mounted launchers carrying eight interceptor missiles, a powerful radar system, and  fire control and communication components.  According to the Pentagon, one of these prized batteries is now being deployed to Israel to  bolster Israel's already impressive defenses against incoming missiles "in response to Iran's unprecedented attacks against Israel on April 13 and  October 1." But that will require U.S. ground troops.   According to the Pentagon, the U.S. Army will send about 100 soldiers to Israel to operate the battery. Iran has notified the U.S. that it will retaliate against any new Israeli attacks, a source in Tehran told CNN on Saturday. Through a comprehensive command, control and battle management system, the THAAD battery can communicate with various U.S. missile defense systems, including the Aegis system commonly installed on U.S. Navy ships, and the Patriot missile defense system, designed to intercept targets at shorter ranges. These other missile defense systems outnumber THAAD, and are  an example of the importance the Biden administration is placing on this deployment in Israel.  THAAD could be rapidly deployed by U.S. Air Force cargo planes such as C-17s and C-5s, but the Pentagon has not said when it will be deployed in Israel. Why is THAAD so accurate?  What gives THAAD its accuracy is the radar system that provides its targeting information: the Army Navy/Transportable Radar Surveillance Radar (AN/TPY-2). This radar system, which can be deployed with  missile batteries or is already installed on U.S. Navy ships and other facilities, can detect missiles in two ways. In forward-facing mode, it is configured to lock on and track targets  up to 3,000 kilometers (1,865 miles) away, and in  terminal mode, it faces upward to intercept descending targets, according to the Missile Defense Project. Iran is about 1,700 kilometers (1,100 miles) from Israel. CNN military analyst and former U.S. Air Force Colonel Cedric Leighton said THAAD would not act alone in Israel's defense, but could act as  an additional "deterrent" against attacks. "Once this is operational, it really adds an extra layer to Israel's existing  air and missile defenses," Leighton said. The production version of the THAAD system has consistently intercepted incoming targets during testing, according to  the Center for Strategic and International Studies' Missile Threat Project.