US Intercepts Medium-Range Ballistic Missile for the First Time

The US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) successfully intercepted an air-launched intermediate-range ballistic missile target during a test near Guam, reports Reuters citing Pentagon on December 10.

During the Flight Experiment Mission-02 (FEM-02) test, the Aegis Guam System, equipped with the advanced AN/TPY-6 radar and Vertical Launching System, successfully launched a Standard Missile-3 Block IIA.

MDA Director Lieutenant General Heath Collins praised the test as a "tremendous group effort," highlighting its importance in demonstrating joint tracking systems and integrated air and missile defense capabilities for Guam.

Previously on November 21, 2024, Russia conducted the first confirmed operational use of the new intermediate-range ballistic missile “Oreshnik” during an attack in Ukrainian city Dnipro. Russian leader Vladimir Putin has claimed that the Oreshnik missile is impossible to intercept with any existing air defense systems. According to Putin, the missile's high speed, exceeding Mach 10, and its ability to carry multiple independently targetable warheads (MIRV) make it highly advanced and capable of evading modern interception technologies.