The United States has activated its ground-based interceptor
missile defense system amid concerns over a possible missile launch
by North Korea, news reports said Tuesday.
An American defense official has confirmed a Washington
Times report on Tuesday that the Pentagon had switched its
multibillion-dollar missile defense system from test mode to
operational, Reuters reported.
"It's good to be ready," the official was quoted as saying.
The Washington Times reported Tuesday that the Pentagon
activated its missile defense system within the past two weeks and
that US officials announced any long-range missile launch by North
Korea would be considered a "provocative act."
An option being considered would be to shoot down the missile
with responding interceptors, the Times report quoted a
senior administration official as saying.
Two US Navy Aegis warships were patrolling near North Korea as
part of the global missile defense and would be among the first
sensors that would trigger the use of interceptors, the report
said.
The United States has installed to date 11 ground-based missiles
for its missile defense system - nine at Fort Greely, Alaska and
two at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, to intercept and
destroy incoming long-range missiles in space.
(Xinhua News Agency June 21, 2006)
