WASHINGTON — The US Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system-does not have the capability of intercepting Chinese intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), former Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, Frank Rose, said at a Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) conference.
A former US official, who served during the President Obama tenure, said Wednesday that the US Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) that are deployed in South Korea are incapable of intercepting "sophisticated" Chinese intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).
"THAAD is a theater missile defense capability that does not have the capability of intercepting Chinese ICBMs," Rose said on Wednesday.
China like Russia had the capability to install counter-measures to foil ballistic missile interceptors fired at ICBMs, Rose acknowledged.
"The Chinese have very sophisticated counter-measures… Our limited ground-based interceptor (GBI) system does not have the capability to intercept Chinese ICBMs," he said.
Both the Chinese and the Russians were concerned that the deployment of THAAD systems including advanced radars to South Korea and other countries was a strategy by the United States to undermine their deterrents, Rose said.
