US Successfully Tests SM-3 Anti-Ballistic Missile Off Coast of Hawaii - Pentagon

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The US military successfully intercepted a medium-range ballistic missile with its Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) during a test in the Pacific, the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) said in a release on Friday.

"[The MDA] and US Navy sailors aboard USS John Finn (DDG-113) successfully conducted an intercept of a medium-range ballistic missile target with a Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA missile during a flight test off the west coast of Hawaii," the release said.

The MDA explained that a target missile was launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility at Kauai, Hawaii, and the John Finn detected and tracked it with its onboard AN/SPY-1 radar using the Aegis Baseline 9.C2 weapon system.

"Upon acquiring and tracking the target, the ship launched an SM-3 Block IIA guided missile which intercepted the target," the release said.

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MDA Director Lt. Gen. Sam Greaves characterized the intercept as a "superb accomplishment and key milestone" for the SM-3 Block IIA.

The MDA also said in the release that based on observations and initial data review, the test met its objectives, while program officials continue to evaluate system performance.

The SM-3 Block IIA is being developed cooperatively by the US and Japan and operates as part of the AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defense system, the naval component of the US Ballistic Missile Defense System, according to the release.