The Guam THAAD Drone Intrusion Incident (2020)

The Guam THAAD Drone Intrusion Incident refers to a series of unauthorized drone incursions that occurred in 2020 over the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-ballistic missile battery located in Guam. This U.S. territory in the Western Pacific houses strategic military assets, including the Andersen Air Force Base. The primary purpose of the THAAD system is to intercept and destroy short, medium, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles during their terminal phase. The drone incursions raised concerns about the security of the installation and the potential for surveillance, espionage, or even an attack on the facility. To date, the origin of these drones remains unclear, and the incidents continue to be a subject of investigation.

The technical capabilities of the THAAD system include:

• Intercepting Ballistic Missiles: THAAD’s primary function is to destroy incoming ballistic missiles by direct, high-speed impact. The interceptor missiles carry no explosive warheads, and the “hit-to-kill” approach relies on the kinetic energy generated by the collision to destroy the target.
• High-Altitude Interception: As the name suggests, THAAD is designed to intercept targets at high altitudes, ranging from approximately 40 km (25 miles) to 150 km (93 miles) above the Earth’s surface. This capability allows the system to engage incoming missiles at a greater distance, providing a broader defensive coverage.
• Advanced Radar System: THAAD is equipped with an X-band, phased-array AN/TPY-2 radar system that can detect, track, and discriminate between multiple incoming missile threats. The radar system is highly mobile and can be rapidly deployed to different locations as needed.
• Terminal Phase Interception: THAAD is designed to engage incoming ballistic missiles during their terminal phase, which is the final phase of flight when the missile reenters the Earth’s atmosphere. This ability is essential for countering threats that have evaded other layers of defense.
• Interoperability: THAAD is designed to integrate with other missile defense systems, such as the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) and the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System. This interoperability allows for a more comprehensive and layered defense strategy.
• Mobility and Rapid Deployment: The THAAD system components, including the interceptor launchers, radar, and command and control facilities, are all mounted on trucks, making them highly mobile and easily transportable. This mobility enables rapid deployment and repositioning of the system as needed.
• Versatility: THAAD can effectively counter a wide range of ballistic missile threats, including short, medium, and intermediate-range missiles, as well as various types of warheads, such as unitary, submunitions, and nuclear, chemical, or biological payloads.

Guam’s strategic location makes it a vital component of U.S. military presence in the Asia-Pacific region. THAAD is an essential asset, as it helps ensure the protection of the island and its military facilities. The system uses high-velocity interceptor missiles and powerful radar technology to track and neutralize incoming threats. The unauthorized drone incursions demonstrated that even such a sophisticated defense system is vulnerable to potential threats from smaller, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

According to a report by The Drive, military personnel noticed at least two instances of unauthorized drone activity over the THAAD battery during the summer of 2020 (Source: The Drive).

In response to the growing concern over drone incursions, the U.S. military has been developing countermeasures, including jamming systems, lasers, and kinetic weapons to neutralize unauthorized drones. The U.S. Army has awarded a contract to a company called Dynetics to develop and integrate a 100-kilowatt-class laser weapon system onto its Stryker combat vehicles (Source: Defense News).

Although the identity of the drones involved in the Guam THAAD Drone Intrusion Incident remains unknown, the use of commercial drones for military purposes has been on the rise. The conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia in 2020 showcased how small, commercially available drones could play a significant role in modern warfare.

Experts in the field of drone technology and military defense, such as Seth Frantzman, author of “Drone Wars: Pioneers, Killing Machines, Artificial Intelligence, and the Battle for the Future,” have pointed out that the growing accessibility and capabilities of commercial drones create a new set of challenges for military defense. In his book, Frantzman discusses the evolving drone landscape and the need for robust countermeasures to address the potential threats posed by these UAVs.

In an article published in 2020, the newspaper cited the Guam THAAD Drone Intrusion Incident as an example of the vulnerabilities that even sophisticated defense systems face when confronted with unauthorized drone activities (Source: The Washington Post).

The Washington Post emphasized the need for the U.S. military to invest in advanced counter-drone technologies to protect sensitive installations and maintain national security.

The Guam THAAD Drone Intrusion Incident highlights the growing concern over the potential threats posed by unauthorized drones to critical military infrastructure. As commercial drones become more advanced and accessible, defense systems like THAAD may face new challenges that require the development of effective countermeasures.