US warship shoots down a medium-range ballistic missile in a test

DEBKAfile was founded by a team of journalists in June 2000 as an independent Internet Web site, providing an intelligence and security news service. August 30, 2017, 5:33 PM (IDT)

The US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) said the USS Paul Jones shot down a medium-range ballistic missile launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility in a test off Hawaii on Wednesday. The warship’s radar detected and tracked the target before intercepting it with SM-6 missiles.

MDA Director Lt. Gen. Sam Greaves said the test marked a “key milestone,” although it did not ease the tension caused by North Korea’s launch of a Hwasong-12 ballistic missile over Japan this week. Wednesday, Pyongyang released more details about its launch test with a video tape. Kim Jong-un said that more ballistic missile rocket launching drills are necessary to modernize his military’s strategic capabilities. 

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