AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, Japan and the United States will test-fire an interceptor of their jointly developed next-generation shipborne missile system later this week, a Japanese defense official said March 7.
The two allies are currently developing a new version of the U.S. sea-based Standard Missile 3 (SM-3), amid growing concern about North Korea and rising tension between Japan and China.
Under the plan, they will launch a conventional SM-3 with a nose cone prototype, from a U.S. Aegis destroyer off Hawaii, to shoot down a flying target, the defense agency official said.
