Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system - All you need to know

New Delhi : The US Missile Defence Agency plans to conduct a long-planned flight test of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) missile system within the next few days, the media reported.

The exact date of the planned test is not being disclosed until it has taken place. The THAAD is based at the Pacific Spaceport Complex Alaska in Kodiak, Alaska, a Department of Defence official told CNN late Friday. Here is all you need to know about THAAD: 

Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, simply called as THAAD, is an American anti-ballistic missile defence system designed to shoot down short, medium, and intermediate range ballistic missiles in their final phase by intercepting with a hit-to-kill approach. First proposed in 1987 and then finally deployed in 2008, the THAAD cannot be used as a form of attack against an enemy. 

The importance of THAAD and reason why China is angry:

Ever since Kim Jong-un became Supreme Leader for North Korea, their involvement with nuclear missiles and tests in not hidden. Citing danger, the neighbouring nation South Korea started looking at THAAD for safety in 2013. China registered their anger over THAAD implementation as it would had led to a weakening of their own ballistic missile system.

Experts belief on THAAD:

While China has been against the usage of THAAD, experts also believe that this will increase the presence of America in a world, which could lead to more demerits than merits.

While China and North Korea have continuously opposed the deployment of THAAD, there have been concerns from South Korea as well with regards to the anti-missile system.