Japan held third successful interception of ballistic target

02.11.2010 Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) carried out the third successful interception of ballistic target by ICBM interceptor Standard Missile-3 Block IA made by Raytheon.

Ballistic target was intercepted at the altitude of 100 km over Pacific Ocean. The missile was launched by destroyer stationed near Kauai Island, Hawaii. "This successful flight test adds to SM-3's long and impressive list of hit-to-kill intercepts. Japan now has a fourth destroyer fully qualified to employ SM-3 against threat ballistic missiles", said Dr. Taylor W. Lawrence, president of Raytheon Missile Systems.

Interceptor missiles SM-3 are used in shipborne missile system AEGIS. There are over 100 SM-3 interceptors presently deployed on board American and Japanese destroyers; they are capable to intercept short- and middle-range ballistic missiles at boost and midcourse phases.

SM-3 Block IA was commissioned in 2006. This is the third variant of SM-3 interceptor. In 2008 such missile destroyed a satellite on orbit.

Interceptor missile SM-3 Block I? will be more effective if reliability of SM-3 Block IA is preserved. Presently, US Missile Defense Agency and Japanese company Mitsubishi Heavy Industries work on new generation interceptor missile SM-3 Block IIA which has longer flight range and equipped with heavier kinetic interceptor to neutralize more sophisticated threats.