Navy Ship Shoots Down Missile Launched From Kauai

The U.S. Navy said it shot down a medium-range missile warhead above the earth's atmosphere Thursday in the latest test of the nation's missile defense program.

The USS Shiloh detected a medium-range target after it was launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Hawaii, then fired a Standard Missile-3 interceptor.

The Missile Defense Agency said the interceptor shot down the target warhead after it separated from its rocket booster. The missile was intercepted more than 100 miles above the Pacific Ocean and 250 miles northwest of the island of Kauai.

The Missile Defense Agency said the test had been scheduled for months and was not prompted by indications that North Korea was planning to test launch a long-range missile.