US Navy intercepts missile shot from Hawaii base

[November 03, 2008]  HONOLULU (AP) -- U.S. Navy officials say one of two short-range ballistic missiles shot from a military facility in Hawaii in a defense system test was hit by an interceptor missile fired from a Navy ship.

Vice Adm. Samuel J. Locklear says Saturday's trial marked the first time that the Navy -- rather than the Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency -- oversaw the firing of a so-called Standard Missile-3 interceptor against a ballistic missile target.

The San Diego-based U.S. Third Fleet had command and control of the mission, in which two target missiles were fired from the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai island.

An SM-3 fired from the USS Paul Hamilton directly hit the first target missile. Another ship, the USS Hopper, failed to intercept the second target missile that was fired.

[Associated Press]

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