December 5, 2008

Kodiak, Alaska missile test a success

The Pentagon has announced that a long-range ballistic missile launched from Kodiak, Alaska was tracked and destroyed by an interceptor launched from California successfully completing a test of a a missile shield system designed to protect the United States against attack.

A Pentagon spokesman said it was a crucial step in plans for the missile shield the US wants to base in Europe.

From CNN:

Officials said Thursday that this would be the most realistic of the 13 missile shield system tests conducted to date.

So far, the U.S. military has shot down a mock warhead in space with an interceptor missile in seven tests. The interceptor carries a "kill vehicle," which is designed to destroy the target missile by crashing into it.

The Pentagon said this week that in Friday's test, the target would be a mock warhead accompanied by "countermeasures similar to what Iran or North Korea could deploy," according to a U.S. Missile Defense Agency official.