The U.S. military conducted a successful test of its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system over the Pacific Oceanon Sunday.
"The U.S. Missile Defense Agency and U.S. Army soldiers of the 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade from Fort Bliss, Texas, conducted a successful missile defense test today using the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system," local media reports quoted the country's Missile Defense Agency (MDA) statement as saying.
MDA Director Lt. Gen. Sam Greaves said that the exercise will help the U.S. to stay ahead of the evolving threat.
The statement added that the THAAD system stationed in Alaska identified and intercepted a medium-range target ballistic missile (MRBM) which was air-launched by a U.S. Air Force C-17 over the Pacific Ocean.
The THAAD system is designed to shoot down short, medium, and intermediate range ballistic missiles in their terminal phase by intercepting with a hit-to-kill approach.
This was the 15th successful intercept by the THAAD system out of 15 tests done by the U.S. Missile Defense Agency.
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The test comes days after North Korea conducted its second test of an intercontinental ballistic missile in a month.
U.S., President Donald Trump had condemned the launch branding it as 'reckless and dangerous'.
He assured that the U.S. will take all necessary steps to ensure the security of the American homeland and protect its allies in the region.