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Missile Defense Agency announces successful Alaska intercept

Lockeed Martin conducts a successful flight test of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Weapon System at the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai, Hawaii on June 29, 2007. (PR NEWSWIRE)
Associated Press
Lockeed Martin conducts a successful flight test of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Weapon System at the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai, Hawaii on June 29, 2007. (PR NEWSWIRE)

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The U.S. Missile Defense Agency says it has conducted a successful test from Alaska of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, part of the nation’s ballistic missile defense system.

A target in the form of an intermediate-range ballistic missile was air-launched Monday night by an Air Force C-17 over the Pacific Ocean north of Hawaii.

The MDA says a THAAD weapon system at Kodiak, Alaska, detected, tracked and intercepted the target.

The test was the 14th successful intercept in 14 attempts for the THAAD weapon system.

The system can be rapidly deployed and is designed to intercept ballistic missiles inside or outside the atmosphere during their final phase of flight.

The system uses hit-to-kill technology to destroy missiles at high altitudes to mitigate effects of enemy weapons.