KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
Kayla Desroches/KMXT
The Alaska Aerospace Corporation just completed its second missile test of the summer as part of its partnership with the U.S. Missile Defense Agency. People in the area at the time report having seen the launch overnight between Saturday and Sunday.
According to a MDA press release, this weekend a U.S. Air Force C-17 air-launched a medium-range target ballistic missile over the Pacific Ocean.
The release says that the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense weapon system or THAAD system at Narrow Cape successfully located and intercepted that test missile.
As detailed in the release, the experiment was done to “gather threat data” from the interceptor, and will help the MDA to improve the THAAD system and to “stay ahead of the evolving threat.”
According to the release, the MDA has completed 15 tests of the THAAD system, all of which have been successful.
