The Senate Armed Services Committee wants to see the U.S. Army in charge of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, a platform designed to deter ballistic missiles, Defense News reported Wednesday. The committee released an executive summary of the fiscal 2020 defense authorization bill to mandate the Missile Defense Agency to turn THAAD’s responsibility over to the Army.
The transfer would include procurement and sustainment funds allotted for the THAAD system. The Army’s layered missile defense includes THAAD that neutralizes enemy ballistic missiles during a flight’s terminal phase, the report noted. Soldiers use the system to launch interceptors against ballistic missile threats.
For years, the branch has been the system’s user, while MDA oversees development. Leadership from both sides would not reject the turnover if funds are available without compromising other defense projects, the report noted.
