US Shoots Down Ballistic Missile Off Coast of Hawaii, Proves Upgraded Defense Works

An MH-60S Seahawk flies near the guided missile destroyer USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) during a vertical replenishment. On Aug 30, the John Paul shot down a medium range ballistic missile during a test exercise off the coast of Hawaii. Airman Dylan Butler/U.S. Navy

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) looks to have another defense against medium-range ballistic missiles after Navy sailors aboard the USS John Paul Jones shot one down off the coast of Hawaii Wednesday, Aug 30.

The MDA said it “successfully conducted a complex missile defense flight test” using SM-6 guided missiles.

The recently upgraded missile, made by Raytheon, is a multipurpose, cost effective missile that gained more advanced ballistic missile defense capabilities in recent months.

When the SM-6® missile deploys with the new "Dual 1" software, it will be the only missile in the world capable of both anti-air warfare and ballistic missile defense from sea. Photo Courtesy Missile Defense Agency via Raytheon