Russia Develops Own THAAD-like, GMD-like Missile Defense Systems

Russia is developing a missile defense system similar to United State's Ground-based Midcourse Defense and will also soon begin the trials of a defense system akin to Terminal High Altitude Area Defense.

MOSCOW, December 8 (RIA Novosti) – Russia has been developing its own missile defense systems similar to Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) and Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) of the United States, Pavel Sozinov, the chief engineer of the Almaz-Antey defense corporation, said Monday.

"A system is under development in Russia analogous to THAAD, allowing us to intercept medium-range ballistic missiles and intercontinental ballistic missiles on a limited scale. It will begin trials soon," Pavel Sozinov said.

He also said that Russia has also been developing a system similar to, but more mobile than the United States' long-range ballistic missile shield GMD. "At the request of the Ministry of Defense, we must provide substantially more efficient interception than the Americans," he stressed.

Although an integral component of the US Missile Defense Agency's Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS), the GMD system was unable to hit its first target since 2008 until simulations held in June.

Meanwhile, easily transportable THAAD systems designed to intercept short-to-medium ballistic missiles during their terminal phase of flight have been deployed in Hawaii and Guam. The United Arab Emirates will reportedly be to the first international buyer of the system by the end of 2015. THAAD X-Band Radars are currently deployed in Israel, Turkey, Qatar and Japan.