America’s shield against intermediate range ballistic missiles continued its unbroken record of hits Tuesday, with a successful test in which a target missile was shot down over the Pacific Ocean by interceptor missile launched from Alaska.
“This was the 14th successful intercept in 14 attempts for the THAAD weapon system,” said the U.S. Missile Defense Agency in a release early Tuesday morning.
THAAD, or the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, is the element of the nation’s ballistic missile defense system designed to shoot down missiles with a range of fewer than 3,400 miles.
In the latest test, a target missile designed to mimic the threat from North Korea was launched from a U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo plane flying over the Pacific Ocean, north of Hawaii.
It was “detected, tracked and intercepted” by a THAAD anti-missile battery in Kodiak, Alaska.
“Preliminary indications are that planned flight test objectives were achieved and the threat-representative, intermediate-range ballistic missile target was successfully intercepted by the THAAD weapon system,” the Missile Defense Agency said in a statement.
“This test further demonstrates the capabilities of the THAAD weapon system and its ability to intercept and destroy ballistic missile threats,” MDA Director Lt. Gen. Sam Greaves, said in statement. “THAAD continues to protect our citizens, deployed forces and allies from a real and growing threat.”
The THAAD system is currently deployed to South Korea in response to North Korea’s stepped up missile test program.
While the system as initial operating capability, but not all elements of the system are in place, because South Korea’s new president Moon Jae-in has asked for a review of the system before allowing the deployment to be completed.
