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Saturday 27 May 2017

Leery of North Korea, US plans first test of ICBM intercept

By ROBERT BURNS to fire a rocket into space The target will be a custom-
AP National Security Writer upon warning of a hostile made missile meant to sim-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Pre- missile launch. The rocket ulate an ICBM, meaning it
paring for North Korea’s releases a 5-foot-long de- will fly faster than missiles
growing threat, the Penta- vice called a “kill vehicle” used in previous intercept
gon will try to shoot down that uses internal guidance tests, according to Chris-
an intercontinental-range systems to steer into the topher Johnson, spokes-
missile for the first time in a path of the oncoming mis- man for the Missile Defense
test next week. The goal is sile’s warhead, destroying it Agency. The target is not
to more closely simulate a by force of impact. Official- a mock-up of an actual
North Korean ICBM aimed ly known as the Ground- North Korean ICBM.
at the U.S. homeland, offi- based Midcourse Defense “We conduct increasingly
cials said Friday system, the Pentagon likens complex test scenarios as
The American interceptor it to hitting a bullet with a the program matures and
has a spotty track record, bullet. advances,” Johnson said
succeeding in nine of 17 People watch a TV news program showing a file image of a The Pentagon’s Missile De- Friday. “Testing against an
attempts against missiles missile launch conducted by North Korea, at the Seoul Railway fense Agency, which is re- ICBM-type threat is the next
of less-then-intercontinen- Station in Seoul, South Korea. With North Korea’s nuclear missile sponsible for developing step in that process.”
tal range since 1999. The threat in mind, the Pentagon is planning a missile defense test and testing the system, has Officials say this is not a
most recent test, in June next week that for the first time will target an intercontinental- scheduled the intercept make-or-break test.
2014, was a success, but range missile. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) test for Tuesday. While it wasn’t scheduled
that followed three straight An interceptor is to be with the expectation of an
failures. The system has its leader, Kim Jong Un, has said this week that “left un- launched from an under- imminent North Korean mis-
evolved from the multibil- vowed to field a nuclear- checked,” Kim will eventu- ground silo at Vandenberg sile threat, the military will
lion-dollar effort triggered armed missile capable of ally succeed. Air Force Base in Califor- closely watch whether it
by President Ronald Rea- reaching American terri- The Pentagon has a variety nia and soar toward the shows progress toward the
gan’s 1983 push for a “Star tory. He has yet to test an of missile defense systems, target, which will be fired stated goal of being able
Wars” solution to ballistic intercontinental ballistic but the one designed with from a test range on Kwa- to reliably shoot down a
missile threats during the missile, or ICBM, but Penta- a potential North Korean jalein Atoll in the Pacific. small number of ICBMs tar-
Cold War — when the So- gon officials believe he is ICBM in mind is perhaps the If all goes as planned, the geting the United States.
viet Union was the only ma- speeding in that direction. most technologically chal- “kill vehicle” will slam into The Pentagon is thirsting for
jor worry. Marine Lt. Gen. Vincent lenging. Critics say it also is the ICBM-like target’s mock a success story amid grow-
North Korea is now the fo- Stewart, director of the De- the least reliable. warhead high over the Pa- ing fears about North Ko-
cus of U.S. efforts because fense Intelligence Agency, The basic defensive idea is cific Ocean. rea’s escalating capability.