The United States Missile Defense Agency (MDA) announced on Tuesday the successful interception of a ballistic missile target during a first-of-its-kind test conducted off the coast of Guam. The test marks a significant milestone in the development of defensive capabilities in the strategically important region.
According to the MDA, the flight experiment involved the Aegis Guam System, integrated with the new AN/TPY-6 radar and Vertical Launching System. The system fired a Standard Missile-3 Block IIA, which successfully intercepted an air-launched Medium Range Ballistic Missile target near Andersen Air Force Base in Guam.
“The AN/TPY-6 radar tracked the target shortly after launch, achieving the first end-to-end tracking use of the radar during a live ballistic missile flight test,” the agency stated.
The successful interception is considered a pivotal step in the defense initiatives for Guam. “Today’s event marks a pivotal step taken in defense of Guam initiatives and partnerships and provides critical support to the overall concept, requirements validation, data-gathering, and model maturation for the future Guam Defense System (GDS),” the MDA added.
Guam holds a strategic position for maintaining United States military presence in the Asia-Pacific region. The test is regarded as the first demonstration from Guam as part of a long-term initiative to bolster the island’s defenses.
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U.S. conducts first-ever ballistic missile intercept test from Guam
cgtn.com
