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With an investment of US$2,81 billion, the new US hypersonic missile defense system promises ultra-fast interception with AI, advanced radars and laser weapons, bolstering security against global hypersonic threats.
The United States is taking a giant leap forward in the military technology race with THAAD 6.0, a hypersonic missile defense system designed to counter increasingly fast-moving and unpredictable threats. This time, the promise is not just greater precision, but also a much smarter, more agile and more lethal system.
And the investment is no small feat: US$2,81 billion were injected into the project, which is in the hands of Lockheed Martin. The idea is to take US defense technology to another level, mixing artificial intelligence, state-of-the-art radars and even laser weapons.
What is the THAAD defense system and how has it evolved?
THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) is already a well-known missile interceptor. It was designed to destroy short, medium and intermediate-range threats before they reach their target. And it does this in a surgical way: instead of exploding near the enemy, it uses “hit-to-kill” technology, basically throwing a “supersonic boulder” at the enemy missile.
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But then came the big problem: hypersonic missiles. These monsters can reach absurd speeds and even change direction mid-flight. THAAD 6.0 was created precisely to deal with this threat, adding more layers of defense and cutting-edge technology.
The billion-dollar contract for the development of THAAD 6.0
The US is not messing around. The government signed a contract of US$2,81 billion with Lockheed Martin, ensuring that THAAD 6.0 will be developed between 2025 and 2035. And they have already started releasing the money: US$12,7 million has already been earmarked for initial testing.
Major work will take place in Sunnyvale, California, and Dallas, Texas, where engineers and scientists will work to create the most advanced hypersonic missile defense system ever built.
Technological advances expected in THAAD 6.0
Now comes the interesting part: what changes in THAAD 6.0? The updates promise to completely transform the way the US deals with aerial threats.
If speed is the game, THAAD 6.0 needs to see first. To do this, it will rely on a new version of the TPY-2 X-Band radar, which offers much greater range and incredible accuracy.
But the star of the defense system is artificial intelligence. With it, the system will be able to differentiate between a real missile and decoys, as well as predict routes and make decisions in fractions of a second.
Defense against hypersonic threats
Hypersonic missiles are a nightmare precisely because they can change trajectory mid-flight. To combat them, the THAAD 6.0 defense system will need two essential upgrades:
New KKV (Kinetic Kill Vehicle) interceptors – more agile and prepared to engage targets that maneuver at very high speed.
Advanced propulsion, with technologies such as scramjet and solid-state engines, which can make interceptors even faster and more efficient.
Directed energy weapons
This technology is already advanced enough to be integrated into the THAAD 6.0 defense system. The goal is to use high-powered lasers to melt or disable missiles before they even reach their target. final phase of flight. Microwaves can create an “invisible wall” against multiple threats at the same time.
This means that in the future, the US will be able to shoot down enemy missiles without even needing to launch a physical interceptor.
