Successful test of the US missile defense system

The Pentagon on Tuesday successfully tested an air defense missile system. The system is used to shoot down intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) capable of carrying nuclear weapons.

This was the first test successfully completed in over three years. About half of previous attempts have failed, which has been met with great criticism and suggestions that the United States has limited capabilities to defend against intercontinental-range missiles.

Testing took place in the air, where training missiles, such as the nuclear-armed ICBMs tested in North Korea in recent weeks, were destroyed.

The Pentagon announced that the missile was being fired for US military training trials in the Marshall Islands in the Pacific. The missile was destroyed by an interceptor missile from Vandenberg Air Force Base in Southern California.

Currently, 36 interceptor missiles have been deployed at the Vandenberg and Fort Greeley bases in Alaska, which are included in the missile air defense system. By the end of this year, this number will be increased to 44.