Pentagon Confident Missile Defense System Will Protect US if N Korea Attacks

The Pentagon spokesman said Washington was confident that the US Ballistic Layered System is capable of defending the country from a North Korean attack.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The United States is highly confident its layered ballistic missile defense system will protect the homeland against an attack by North Korea, Department of Defense spokesman Peter Cook said in a press briefing on Tuesday.

"North Korea, and its enablers, have been warned repeatedly that using advanced ballistic missile technologies is  unacceptable," Cook stated. "We have high confidence that the US Ballistic Layered System will protect the US Homeland and its allies."

On January 1, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said in a speech that North Korea was in the final stages of preparation to test-launch an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

The US missile defense system includes the land and sea based AEGIS, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) and ground based interceptors located in the US state of Alaska.

South Korea is rushing to complete installation of the US THAAD system.

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