IN BRIEF (Page 11)

United States

Pentagon conducts interceptor test

The US military on Tuesday successfully conducted a test of a new ballistic-missile interceptor system, which is being codeveloped with Japan. The launch marks the second successful test in less than two months for the SM-3 Block IIA missile and its associated technologies, which had previously experienced failures. According to the Missile Defense Agency, sailors at the Aegis Ashore Missile Defense Test Complex at the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii, tracked and intercepted an intermediate-range missile with an SM-3. The SM-3 Block IIA missile - made by arms giant Raytheon - is a key piece of NATO's missile defense system and is due to be deployed in Poland in 2020.