Trumpeter 1/35 Trumpeter US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Missile SystemDescription Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), formerly Theater High Altitude Area Defense, is a United States Army anti ballistic missile system designed to shoot down short, medium, and intermediate range ballistic missiles in their terminal phase using a hit to kill approach. The missile carries no warhead but relies on the kinetic energy of the impact to destroy the incoming missile. A kinetic energy hit minimizes the risk of exploding