2 THAAD launchers appear to have returned to Seongju

Two launch vehicles from the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system operated by US Forces Korea appear to have returned to their original base in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, according to footage obtained by a local civic group.

The local group that runs a Facebook account under the handle @NOTHAAD82 said that one THAAD launcher was seen reentering the US base in Seongju on Friday.

The launcher is believed to have returned after traveling from Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province.

The apparent return marks the second such case this month. A total of six launchers had been moved out of the Seongju base earlier in the month, according to local reports.

One launcher was previously reported to have returned on March 12, about 10 days after the move.

The development comes after speculation that the system had been moved in preparation for redeployment to support US operations in the Middle East, amid tensions with Iran.

The launchers that left Seongju were believed to have been moved to Osan Air Base, where large US military transport aircraft such as C-5 and C-17 aircraft have recently been taking off and landing frequently.

With two of the six launchers now believed to have returned, the whereabouts of the remaining four remain unclear.

Some observers say the remaining launchers may also return in sequence, while others suggest that part of the system could remain at Osan in case Washington decides to airlift additional equipment to the Middle East.

The THAAD battery in Seongju is South Korea’s only high-altitude missile defense system, deployed in 2017 and designed to intercept incoming missiles at altitudes of roughly 40 to 150 kilometers.

A single battery consists of a fire control unit, a radar and six launchers. Each launcher carries eight interceptor missiles, giving the battery a total capacity of 48 interceptors.