Popular Mechanics:
A Japanese destroyer shot down a simulated ballistic missile in a test off the coast of Hawaii last week. The test on September 11 test involved the destroyer Atago using its American-made Aegis Combat System and SM-3 missile interceptors to shoot down a stand-in for an incoming missile. The joint U.S-Japan test involved the same missile defense equipment deployed on American ships.
The test, officially called Japan Flight Test Mission-05, took place off the coast of the Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands. Located on the island of Kauai in Hawaii, Barking Sands is often used as a launch point and monitoring station for ballistic intercept tests.
In this case, the Japanese destroyer JS Atago shot down a simulated ballistic missile launched from Barking Sands. The Atago detected, tracked, and then launched a SM-1B Block IB Threat Upgrade missile interceptor at the target, destroying it.
