Japan has successfully intercepted and destroyed a dummy warhead over the Pacific Ocean, the latest sign that the capability of the U.S. and it allies to shoot down enemy missiles is maturing.
The test of the ship-based Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System was conducted Tuesday by a Japanese destroyer off the coast of Kauai in Hawaii, the Missile Defense Agency reported Wednesday. Japan is a partner with the U.S. in developing the Aegis ballistic missile defense system.
A target ballistic missile target was launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands, Kauai, Hawaii at 10:37 p.m. Tuesday. The Japanese warship detected and tracked the target with the Aegis system.
“The Aegis Weapon System then developed a fire control solution and a Standard Missile-3 missile was launched,” according to a statement from the Missile Defense Agency.
“The SM-3 successfully intercepted the target above the Pacific Ocean,” said the statement. It called the successful shoot-down “a significant milestone in the growing cooperation between Japan and the U.S. in the area of missile defense.”
“This success provides confidence in the future capability for Japan to defeat the developing threats in the region,” said Lt. Gen. Sam Greaves, director of the Pentagon’s Missile Defense Agency. North Korea’s most recent missile tests have been fired in the direction of Japan.
