A ballistic missile intercept test conducted by the U.S. Navy has failed, according to reports.
Off the coast of Hawaii, U.S. destroyer John Paul Jones, failed to intercept a medium-range ballistic missile, Defense News reported. It was using the cutting-edge Aegis Baseline 9.C2 combat system.
The destroyer detected and tracked the target but wasn’t able to intercept it.
“Program officials will conduct an extensive analysis of the test data,” a news release for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency read Thursday, adding that the “planned intercept was not achieved.”
“This was the fourth development flight test using an SM-3 IIA missile, and the second intercept test. The previous intercept test, conducted in February 2017, was successful,” it added.
The missile is being developed by defense contractor Raytheon in a joint U.S.-Japan project. It’s designed to counter North Korea.
