Successful Missile Defense Mission

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The Pentagon has successfully tested an upgraded surveillance radar in Alaska.

A long-range ballistic missile was fired across the face of the Cobra Dane radar on Shemya island in Alaska. Then the target missle's flight was tracked by a Cobra Dane radar. Information received from the radar was relayed back to the comman centers at Colorado Springs, Colorado and Fort Greely, Alaska.

Fort Greely was used to aim the interceptor missiles based in Alaska and California. No interceptor missiles were launched as part of this test.

The target missile was dropped from a C-17 transport plane, and then launched in the air 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) from Shemya, mimicking the trajectory of a real missile fired across the Pacific at the United States.

Good for us! Maybe next time we can use false targets, also.

There have been several successful tests, and a couple unsuccessful tests. One incident had to do with a technilogical issue.

Also linked to: The Mudville Gazette, Dawn Patrol.