A US missile on Saturday successfully intercepted a target near Hawaii during a new test of elements of the country's missile defence system, the military announced.
The test involved the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) element of the system, said the Missile Defence Agency.
The intercept was successfully completed at approximately 3:15 am (1245 IST) off the island of Kauai in Hawaii.
The primary objective of the test was to demonstrate integrated operations of the system, including radar, launcher, fire control equipment and procedures, and the interceptor to detect, track and destroy the target missile using only the force of a direct collision between the interceptor and the target missile hit-to-kill technology, the military said.
This was the 31st successful hit-to-kill intercept in 39 tests since 2001 by ground and sea-based interceptors against short, medium and long-range ballistic missile targets, defence officials said.
And it was the fourth successful intercept for the current THAAD programme in four tests.