The US has successfully tested an upgraded long-range missile interceptor system, firing the ground-based missile interceptor from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
The missile interceptor successfully destroyed a US launched mock ICBM over the Pacific Ocean. The Missile Defense Agency, in a statement, has said that the interceptor destroyed the target in a direct collision.
The test of the missile interceptor is seen as a response to North Korea’s successive missile tests, which are believed to target the mainland United States and its allies in Asia. Effectively North Korea’s continued push in missile development has made the US test and showcase its missile defence capabilities to reassure its allies and its own public.
In recent weeks, North Korea has tested a range of missiles that have exhibited the Asian state’s long-, medium- and short-range missile capabilities. The tests are causing tensions in Asia to escalate, with Japan and South Korea working to prepare for the threat.