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U.S. Missile Defense Test Successful

Alex Belida, Voice of America
July 15, 2001

A missile interceptor has successfully hit a mock nuclear warhead over the Pacific in the first test of the controversial U.S. missile defense system in more than a year.

The cheers came first from the control room on tiny Kwajalein Atoll, where a so-called "kill vehicle" interceptor roared off its launch pad and successfully hit a mock warhead launched earlier from California aboard a ballistic missile.

Reporters following the event on large-screen monitors at the Pentagon heard the cheers and saw a blinding white flash of light captured by an airborne camera at the moment of interception.

A short time later, the head of the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization, Air Force Lieutenant General Ronald Kadish, appeared at the Pentagon and confirmed the success. "These tests take many weeks to deduce the data but we believe we have a successful test in all aspects at this time," he said.

The $100 million test was the second successful intercept out of four attempts. General Kadish has announced plans for several more tests over the next 18 months. He says a long road still lies ahead in the U.S. effort to develop a reliable, effective missile defense system.

The Bush administration wants such a system to protect the country against possible ballistic missile attack from rogue states like North Korea and Iraq.

But Russia, China and some NATO members have criticized the administration's effort, charging it could trigger a new arms race.

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