In an note published by Defense Industry Daily on March 21, 2018, it is reported that the US Army is seeking to accelerate the effort to integrate THAAD with Patriot in operations.
Defense News reports that the US Army is seeking to tie up its THAAD and Patriot air defense units with a common network within a two year framework, as part of efforts to establish a more effective, layered approach to air and missile defense (AMD).
The effort is being led in South Korea, where both systems are currently deployed and working side by side.
If successful, THAAD’s AN/TPY-2 radar will enable the Patriot missile units to expand their battlespace. It had been previously thought by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) that such integration would not be possible for another four or five years, however, a re-prioritization has allowed for this timeframe to be at halved.
The deployment of THAAD to the Korean peninsula in 2017 occurred during a period of high tensions over North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile weapon program. It received much criticism from China, who said its powerful radar was capable of penetrating its territory.