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System: THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense)
Basing: land
Mission: destroy incoming missiles
The pre-dawn art show was the result of the third of five tests planned at White Sands Missile Range to determine the effectiveness of THAAD — Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile. And military officials said the test went better than they could have hoped.
"This was phenomenal," said U.S. Army Col. Charles Driessnack, the project manager for the Missile Defense Agency's THAAD program. "It performed as expected."
The test demonstrated the THAAD's ability to "completely destroy that warhead so that no chemical or nuclear residue would contaminate areas" below the explosion, Driessnack said.
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As the target missile launched, it streaked into the still-dark sky, looking like a comet with a long, white tail. As it got to the second firing stage, red fire bloomed out of the leading edge of the missile.
Minutes later, the THAAD was launched, giving a little pirouette before speeding upward.
"Get up there baby," one observer shouted.
For a couple of minutes, the crowd held their collective breath, waiting to see if the impact would occur as planned.
When the target missile was destroyed, sending a brilliant white, mushroom-like cloud into the dark sky, the crowd began to applaud and cheer wildly.
" We smashed it," several people cheered as the rainbow colored contrail gave way to the cotton ball.
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"This was phenomenal," said U.S. Army Col. Charles Driessnack, the project manager for the Missile Defense Agency's THAAD program. "It performed as expected."
The test demonstrated the THAAD's ability to "completely destroy that warhead so that no chemical or nuclear residue would contaminate areas" below the explosion, Driessnack said.
>
As the target missile launched, it streaked into the still-dark sky, looking like a comet with a long, white tail. As it got to the second firing stage, red fire bloomed out of the leading edge of the missile.
Minutes later, the THAAD was launched, giving a little pirouette before speeding upward.
"Get up there baby," one observer shouted.
For a couple of minutes, the crowd held their collective breath, waiting to see if the impact would occur as planned.
When the target missile was destroyed, sending a brilliant white, mushroom-like cloud into the dark sky, the crowd began to applaud and cheer wildly.
" We smashed it," several people cheered as the rainbow colored contrail gave way to the cotton ball.
>
The cloud is the result of a "simulant"; material packed in the warhead to visually and by radar show the dispersion of its contents.
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