The US Navy and Missile Defence Agency (MDA) fired a missile for the USS John Finn in the Pacific on October 26 which intercepted a medium-range ballistic missile target that was launched from a facility in Hawaii.
The new SM-3 Block IIA is currently being developed by Raytheon Company and Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industry in order to form part of the AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defence System.
AEGIS is part of the naval component for the US Ballistic Missile Defence System that is headed by both the Navy and MDA.
According to Reuters, this was the second successful test for the SM-3 and has lead to the MDA feeling more confident that the previous design flaws have been fixed.
MDA Director Lieutenant General Sam Greaves expressed praise for both the team that has been working on the system as well as the recent results.
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He said: “This was a superb accomplishment and key milestone for the SM-3 Block IIA return to flight
“My congratulations to the entire team, including our sailors, industry partners and allies who helped achieve this milestone.”
Missile Defence Advocacy Alliance Chairman Riki Ellison said that this latest success means that the defence system could eventually be sent to Poland.
Should it be deployed in Poland, then it would be part of a US defence network that is meant to deter potential attacks from Iran.
However, Russia has threatened to respond if this system is brought anywhere near their borders.
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said in 2012 that the missile defence system was “fuelling a new arms race” and that it was constructed “on ridiculous fabricated pretexts” for protection from a nonexistent threat.
Tensions have been rising between Russia and Western countries after NATO decided to hold their largest military exercise in years in Norway.
In response to this, Russia held its own live missile drills at the beginning of this month.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that they were notified about the drills in advance and that he was sure that Russia would behave professionally.
The US has also threatened to pull out of a missile treaty with Russia, a move which has caused further threats from the former Soviet country.