US Successfully Intercepts Ballistic Missile Target in Test Over Hawai‘i

By Wendy Osher

The US military successfully shot down a medium range ballistic missile target during an interceptor test off of Kauaʻi on Tuesday night, Aug. 29, 2017.

The target missile was launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauaʻi. Sailors aboard the USS John Paul Jones intercepted the target using a Standard Missile-6 guided missile off the coast of the Hawaiian islands.

Those aboard the USS John Paul Jones detected and tracked the target missile using onboard radar equipment and used an interceptor missile to bring it down. The test marks the second time that a SM-6 missile has successfully intercepted a medium-range ballistic missile target.

The test comes as North Korea continues to ramp up its ballistic missile capabilities. On Tuesday, the UN Security Council strongly condemned the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s action to launch a missile over Japan earlier in the day, as well as the series of launches that took place on Aug. 25, 2017.

The UN Security Council reports that Tuesday’s missile launched by the DPRK over Japan traveled some 2,700 kilometers before crashing into the Pacific Ocean.

Missile Defense Agency Director Lt. Gen. Sam Greaves said the test marks a key milestone in giving the fleet enhanced capabilities to defeat ballistic missiles.

He said the agency will continue to develop defense technologies to stay ahead of the threat as it evolves.

A Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) guided missile is launched from the USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) during Flight Test Standard Missile-27 Event 2 (FTM-27 E2) on Aug. 29 (HST). During the test, a medium-range ballistic missile target was successfully intercepted by SM-6 missiles fired from the USS John Paul Jones. (DoD photo by Latonja Martin)

A medium-range ballistic missile target is launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai, Hawaii, during Flight Test Standard Missile-27 Event 2 (FTM-27 E2) on Aug. 29, 2017. The target was successfully intercepted by SM-6 missiles fired from the guided missile destroyer USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53). (DoD photo by Latonja Martin)

A Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) guided missile is launched from the USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) during Flight Test Standard Missile-27 Event 2 (FTM-27 E2) on Aug. 29 (HST). During the test, a medium-range ballistic missile target was successfully intercepted by SM-6 missiles fired from the USS John Paul Jones. (DoD photo by Latonja Martin)

A Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) guided missile is launched from the USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) during Flight Test Standard Missile-27 Event 2 (FTM-27 E2) on Aug. 29 (HST). During the test, a medium-range ballistic missile target was successfully intercepted by SM-6 missiles fired from the USS John Paul Jones. (DoD photo by Latonja Martin)