We're Now Selling The Most Advanced Missile System To This Islamic State (Guess which one...)

Business Insider ^ | 06/06/2012 | Walter Hickey

[SeekAndFind]

The U.S. is selling one of the most advanced missile systems on the planet to a country with an abysmal human rights records.

Lockheed Martin's Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system is the most effective weapon when it comes to shooting incoming missiles right out of the sky.

As of yesterday, a total of 138 of these launchers are headed to the United Arab Emirates.

Lockheed Martin will be getting $2 Billion for the contract.

The UAE is a federation of absolute monarchies. It's comprised of seven principalities, each with its own absolute monarch. It's got the sixth largest oil reserves in the world.

The original sale was announced late last year, and it looks like the UAE wanted to add on to the order.

While $2 billion may sound like a lot, the UAE has been known for extravagant expenditures. It's notorious because of the explosive expansion of its largest city, Dubai, and the international human rights issues that came with that construction.

[SeekAndFind]

A LITTLE BRIEF PRIMER ON THE THAAD:

The THAAD system is designed to intercept medium to intermediate sized missiles, and even has some capability against Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs).

Using advanced radar, the THAAD system launches a missile that intercepts the incoming threat. The THAAD missile has no warhead, and is only designed to strike and detonate the incoming missile’s warhead while it remains at a safe distance.

The U.S. sells all kinds of tech to all kinds of countries.

But UAE is the first country other than Israel to get THAAD.

[Drill Thrawl]

Sounds more like prepping the Iranian battle space to me. As a bonus we get some money.

[BCW]

Unknown to the UAE - that system won’t work unless you say the magic word...(See Jurassic Park) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfiQYRn7fBg

[Windflier]

[DPMD]

Eastern Europe - particularly Poland - doesn’t need a missile defense system, but the UAE does?

Maybe Poland should consider converting to Islam in order to earn the affection of the Chicken Hawk-in-Chief, B. Hussein O.

[Windflier]

[EricT.]

The UAE is one of the better of the Islamic states (not that that is saying much).

I spent a week there last year. Beers were $12 a bottle. Most of the restaurants had the worst service I’ve ever experienced. The amazing buildings they have are only 20% occupied.

Oh yeah— In an entire week, I witnessed only two Arabs actually working. The bulk of the work is done by Indians, Filipinos, and Pakistanis... and one Brazilian belly dancer...

[Mikey_1962]

With the hydraulic fracturing revolution the Middle East will be as a back water (more than now) in 5 years.

[sam_paine]

The THAAD missile has no warhead, and is only designed to strike and detonate the incoming missile’s warhead while it remains at a safe distance.

THAAD uses a kinetic kill vehicle. It only has to barely glance it a supersonic closing velocities. It doesn't matter what state the enemy warhead is in after that instant of contact, within milliseconds it's going to be spinning and shredding itself into thousands of melty pieces.

[MortMan]

When I was in the Army’s Air Defense Artillery, this system was the THEATER High Altitude Air Defense. I wonder if they changed the name, or the reporter is an idiot.

My bet’s on idiot.

[liberalh8ter]

I sure hope it has Chinese chips.

[SeekAndFind]

RE: When I was in the Army’s Air Defense Artillery, this system was the THEATER High Altitude Air Defense. I wonder if they changed the name, or the reporter is an idiot.

_____________________________

You are both right, so be gentle on the writer.

According to this site (ACRNOYM FINDER) :

http://www.acronymfinder.com/THAAD.html

* THAAD Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (formerly Theater High Altitude Area Defense)

* THAAD Theater High Altitude Area Defense (now Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense)

See also here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/THAAD

DEFINITION:

Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), formerly Theater High Altitude Area Defense, is a United States Army system to shoot down short, medium, and intermediate ballistic missiles in their terminal phase using a hit-to-kill approach. The missile carries no warhead but relies on the kinetic energy of the impact. THAAD was designed to hit Scuds and similar weapons, but also has a limited capability against ICBMs.