What is "Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)", sometimes seen in the news ?
- (a) An Israeli radar system
- (b) India's indigenous anti-missile programme
- (c) An American anti-missile system ✓ UPSC's answer
- (d) A defence collaboration between Japan and South Korea
Why the answer is (c)
• THAAD is a US Army anti-ballistic-missile system, built by Lockheed Martin, that intercepts short- and medium-range missiles in their terminal phase using hit-to-kill interceptors and an X-band radar — option (c).
• It was in the news when deployed in South Korea in 2017 against North Korean missiles, drawing Chinese objections.
• Israel's systems (a) are Iron Dome, David's Sling and Arrow; India's programme (b) is the DRDO Ballistic Missile Defence (PAD/AAD); Japan–South Korea (d) have no joint system.
• Hence option (c).
Why the other options are wrong
- (a) An Israeli radar system
- Israel's systems are Iron Dome, Arrow, David's Sling.
- (b) India's indigenous anti-missile programme
- India's programme is DRDO's BMD, not THAAD.
- (d) A defence collaboration between Japan and South Korea
- Japan and South Korea have no joint missile-defence system.
Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2018, held on 3 June 2018. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.