Washington: The US military is preparing to conduct another test of a missile-intercept system in Alaska, the Pentagon said Monday, amid continued tensions with North Korea over its ballistic missile program.
Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said a routine test of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system had been scheduled to go ahead "soon."
"These tests are done as a routine measure to make sure that the system is ready," he said.
A notice to mariners put out by the US Coast Guard said the test could occur as soon as Saturday.
THAAD is not designed to stop an ICBM -- that job is left primarily to the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) interceptor system.
"Due to the need to safeguard critical defense information, the (Defense) Department will not provide test details in advance beyond the required safety notifications," he said.
Though such exercises are planned months in advance, it came after North Korea's first-ever test-firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching parts of the United States -- including Alaska.
Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said a routine test of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system had been scheduled to go ahead "soon."
"These tests are done as a routine measure to make sure that the system is ready," he said.
A notice to mariners put out by the US Coast Guard said the test could occur as soon as Saturday.
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THAAD is not designed to stop an ICBM -- that job is left primarily to the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) interceptor system.
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"Due to the need to safeguard critical defense information, the (Defense) Department will not provide test details in advance beyond the required safety notifications," he said.
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Though such exercises are planned months in advance, it came after North Korea's first-ever test-firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching parts of the United States -- including Alaska.
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