Pentagon: Missile interceptor test successful

Are ready for some wonderful news? Can you handle it? lol. Just remember, it is from Reuters, so we cannot be sure...lol.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- The U.S. military shot down a target ballistic missile over the Pacific Friday in the widest test of its emerging antimissile shield in 18 months, the Defense Department announced.

The Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency said it had successfully completed an important exercise involving the launch of an improved ground-based interceptor missile designed to protect the United States against a limited long-range ballistic missile attack.

The test results will help improve the performance of a multibillion-dollar shield against the type of long-range ballistic missile that could be used to attack a U.S. city with a weapon of mass destruction, the agency said in a statement.

Officially, the $85 million test was designed to collect data rather than shoot down the target.

It was the first involving a live target since interceptor rockets failed to leave their silos during tests in December 2004 and February 2005.

It was also the first since the ground-based system, which is part of a layered shield that includes naval and aerial components, was activated to guard against ballistic missiles test-fired on July 4 and 5 by North Korea.

Boeing Co. is prime contractor for the ground-based mid-course defense. Major subcontractors include Lockheed Martin Corp., Northrop Grumman Corp. and Raytheon Co.

In the exercise, a target missile was launched from Kodiak, Alaska. And for the first time, the ground-based interceptor missile was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in central California. Previous launches have been from the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

Boy, you can really count on these guys, eh? The most important parts of this artice are spread out. Here is how I would have written it:

Washington Rosemary - In a successful Missile Defense exercise using live targets in the Pacific Rim Friday, a target missile was launched from Kodiak, Alaska. This is the first time the ground-based interceptor missile was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in central California. Previous launches have been from the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

These test results will help improve the performance of a multibillion-dollar shield against the type of long-range ballistic missile that could be used to attack a U.S. city with a weapon of mass destruction, the agency said in a statement.

This was the widest test attempted so far. The purpose for using a live target is because the interceptor rockets failed to leave their silos during tests in December 2004 and February 2005.

During all of the previous tests, only a few were unsuccessful. This project is moving along at a rapid pace. This is a very important project that is being developed. The United States will soon have the defense mechanisms necessary to protect her citizens against attacks from North Korea, Iran and other enemies.

North Korea has been beligerant as of late, and Kim Jong Il was possibly aware of this exercise. If so, then maybe he will go back to the talks rather than take his chances.

Now THAT'S how an American Patriot writes! :)

Category: (Military) News and News.