US, Japan Begin Preparations for Production of SM-3 Missile Interceptors

The United States and Japan have launched preparations for the joint production from 2017 of a new missile interceptor, arguing it is necessary to defend against North Korea's ballistic missiles, local media reported Sunday.

TOKYO (Sputnik) — According to the NHK broadcaster, the military departments of the two countries are going to produce elements of the SM-3 missile Block IIA in Japan, and to test them at the beginning of the next year in the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii from ships equipped with Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System.

The Standard Missile-3 Block IIA is a three-stage missile designed to intercept ballistic missile threats above the earth's atmosphere, destroying them with a kinetic warhead that collides with the threat warhead at very high speed.