The Missile Defense Agency conducts the first intercept flight test of a land-based Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense weapon system from the Aegis Ashore Missile Defense Test Complex in Kauai, Hawaii, U.S., December 10, 2015. U.S. Missile Defense Agency/Leah Garton/Handout via REUTERS
Reuters: Japan, U.S. say ballistic missile defense system test was successful
The United States and Japan successfully tested Japan’s Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense system off the coast of Hawaii on Tuesday, U.S. military officials said in a statement released on Wednesday.
The test of the Aegis system, by Lockheed Martin Corp, “provides confidence in the future capability for Japan to defeat the developing threats in the region,” said Lieutenant General Sam Greaves, director of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA).
Japan last year decided to expand its ballistic missile defense capabilities with the U.S.-made Aegis system in response to what it said was a growing threat from North Korean rockets.
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Update: Japan’s New Ship-Based Interceptor Shoots Down a Ballistic Missile in Test (Defense One)
WNU Editor: The Japanese are sending a message .... Japan shows China and North Korea it can shoot down ballistic missiles, with some help from the US (Business Insider). The Japanese are also preparing to spend heavily on missile defense .... Japan to Spend Billions on U.S. Missile-Defense System (The Wall Street Journal).
