In a joint drill with the U.S. Navy, a Japanese destroyer today brought down a ballistic missile launched from Hawaii, the Associated Press reported (see GSN, Sept. 17).
The medium-range target was fired from the Pacific Missile Range Facility on the island of Kauai. The JDS Myoko identified and monitored the missile and then stopped its trajectory with a Standard Missile 3 interceptor fired from the vessel's deck. The test missile was intercepted approximately 100 miles above the Pacific Ocean, according to a statement from the two nations' militaries.
This is the third such exercise conducted by Japan, which has been focused on building up its ballistic missile defense system since North Korea sent a long-range missile over the island nation in 1998. The first test, in 2007, ended in a successful interception, while a late 2008 attempt was foiled by a faulty interceptor (see GSN, Dec. 17, 2008).
Today's test required the SM-3 interceptor to identify and target the missile's warhead after it had broken off from its booster rocket.
The USS Paul Hamilton and the USS Lake Erie were also on hand to trace the missile's trajectory.
The ship-based SM-3 interceptor was developed to stop missiles halfway through their flights. Research is under way in the United States to produce technology to intercept missiles at the beginning and end of their flight path.
Tokyo and Washington are collaborating on development of more advanced SM-3 interceptors. Japan has also deployed four Patriot Advanced Capability 3 units in the Tokyo area and plans to field additional systems through March 2011 (Audrey McAvoy, Associated Press/Google News, Oct. 28).