US conducts successful missile intercept test

The latest US missile defence test, conducted on Thursday evening in Hawaii waters, was deemed a success as tensions continue with North Korea over that country's missile programme.

A short-range ballistic missile was fired from the Pacific Missile Range Facility on the island of Kauai and then was shot down by a three-stage interceptor missile from a destroyer, the USS Hopper.

The test, conducted by the Navy and the Department of Defence's Missile Defence Agency, marked the 23rd firing by ships equipped with the Aegis ballistic missile defence system.

With the latest test, there have been 19 successes, including the shooting down of a dead US spy satellite last year.

On July 4, North Korea violated United Nations Security Council resolutions by sending seven ballistic missiles into waters off its east coast.

There had been speculation North Korea would launch a missile toward Hawaii, about 4,500 miles (7,240 kilometres) away, to coincide with the July 4 Independence Day holiday in the US.

Two other Navy ships participated in Thursday's test, dubbed "Stellar Avenger."

According to a Missile Defence Agency statement, the Hopper fired and guided an SM-3 Block IA missile that intercepted the target missile about 100 miles (160 kilometres) above the Pacific Ocean.