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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 2:28 p.m., Sunday, November 2, 2008

Navy intercepts missile shot from Hawaii base during training

Associated Press

U.S. Navy officials say one of two short-range ballistic missiles shot from a military facility in Hawai'i in a defense system test was hit by an interceptor missile fired from a Navy ship.

Vice Adm. Samuel J. Locklear says Saturday's trial marked the first time that the Navy — rather than the Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency — oversaw the firing of a so-called Standard Missile-3 interceptor against a ballistic missile target.

The San Diego-based U.S. Third Fleet had command and control of the mission, in which two target missiles were fired from the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kaua'i island.

An SM-3 fired from the USS Paul Hamilton directly hit the first target missile. Another ship, the USS Hopper, failed to intercept the second target missile that was fired.