US warship fails to intercept ballistic missile test target

A U.S. warship failed to intercept a ballistic missile test target on Saturday.

“The objective of the test was to demonstrate the capability of a ballistic missile defense (BMD)-configured Aegis ship to detect, track, engage and intercept a medium range ballistic missile target with a salvo of two Standard Missile-6 Dual II (BMD-initialized) missiles,” the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) wrote in a statement.

“However, an intercept was not achieved,” the statement added.

The agency did not reveal where the test was conducted, or offer additional details on the incident.

The MDA said program officials launched an “extensive review” to find the cause of any problems that may have prevented a successful intercept.

The agency said program officials will “thoroughly analyze the results.”

The MDA, an agency within the Department of Defense, regularly conducts missile defense tests, according to Reuters.

The wire service noted that the agency in the past has conducted successful intercept tests using types of SM-6 missiles.