Launch of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor. Credit: Ralph Scott/Missile Defense Agency / US Department of Defense / US Army.

Aerojet Rocketdyne has achieved a new milestone with the delivery of the 600th Boost Motor and Divert and Attitude Control System (DACS).

The company provides the two components for the US Army’s Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) weapon system.

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Built by prime contractor Lockheed Martin, THAAD is a land-based weapon of the US Missile Defense Agency’s (MDA) missile defence system.

THAAD is designed to protect deployed US and allied forces from threat ballistic missiles travelling within and outside of the Earth’s atmosphere.

Since its production commenced, the system has demonstrated a 100% success rate in intercept tests with 16 intercepts in 16 tests.

Currently, Aerojet Rocketdyne produces the THAAD solid rocket boost motor at its US facilities in Huntsville, Alabama, and Camden, Arkansas.

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The DACS thruster system helps steer the THAAD’s kinetic kill vehicle through the latter stages of an intercept to successfully engage the target.

The system is manufactured at the company’s facility in Los Angeles, California.

Aerojet Rocketdyne CEO and president Eileen Drake said: “I am proud of our team’s vital role on this important programme.

“Over the past two years they have successfully transferred production from our Sacramento, California site, supported the Missile Defense Agency’s successful THAAD flight test, and delivered the 600th Boost Motor and 600th DACS.”

In December 2018, the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency awarded a contract to Aerojet Rocketdyne to design a propulsion system for its Operational Fires (OpFires) programme.