Missile Defense Flight Test Conducted

The Missile Defense Agency announced today it was unable to complete a planned flight test after the interceptor missile experienced an anomaly shortly before it was to be launched from the Ronald Reagan Test Site, Republic of the Marshall Islands, in the central Pacific Ocean.

A target missile carrying a mock warhead was successfully launched from Kodiak, Alaska at 8:45 p.m. Alaska Standard Time, December 14 (12:45 a.m. EST, December 15).

This was the first time a target missile was launched from Kodiak to support an integrated flight test. As the ground-based interceptor at Kwajalein Atoll was preparing to launch approximately 16 minutes later, it was automatically shutdown due to an unknown anomaly. Program officials will review pre-launch data to determine the cause for the shutdown.

Contact: Missile Defense Agency, Rick Lehner – 703-697-8997 or Chris Taylor – 703-697-8001, or Cheryl Irwin, Office of the Secretary of Defense Public Affairs, at (703) 697-5331.