The Hawaii-based destroyer USS John Paul Jones shot down a simulated ballistic missile and a "raid" of cruise missile targets Thursday off the coast of Kauai.

One short-range ballistic missile target was intercepted by a Standard Missile-3 Block IB guided missile, while two low-flying cruise missile targets were engaged by Standard Missile-2 Block IIIA guided missiles nearly simultaneously, the Missile Defense Agency said.

The simulated enemy missiles were launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai at 12:03 p.m.

The John Paul Jones, equipped with the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense weapon system, developed a fire-control solution and launched one SM-3 Block IB guided missile to engage the ballistic missile target, the Missile Defense Agency said.

The SM-3 missile maneuvered to a specific point and released a kinetic warhead that homed in on the target’s re-entry vehicle, diverted into its path and destroyed the target with the direct impact.

Also launched from the ship were two SM-2 Block IIIA guided missiles that successfully engaged the cruise missile targets.

The flight test marks the 29th successful intercept in 35 flight test attempts for the Aegis BMD program since flight testing began in 2002, the agency said.

The Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance, a nonprofit group that seeks to generate public support for the continued testing and development of missile defense systems to protect the United States and its allies, said the intercepts were conducted using a new Baseline 9 combat systems enhancement.

"This capability enables the ships to defend themselves against incoming cruise missiles while simultaneously tracking and defeating ballistic missiles threatening other areas," the alliance said. "This ability negates the need for a BMD (Ballistic Missile Defense) ship to have backup defenses or ‘shotgun’ ships to provide it protection. … Baseline 9 Aegis BMD ships would free up the limited U.S. Navy Fleet ship resources around the world."

Baseline 9 capability is being used for a U.S. Aegis Ashore site in Romania, and to upgrade the U.S. Navy’s fleet of Aegis BMD ships, according to the alliance.

It would also provide Aegis Ashore sites — which replicate proven ship-based capabilities on land — the capability to defend themselves while still being able to defend large regions from ballistic missiles, the alliance said.

"The Baseline 9 is a much anticipated and valued system," the organization said.

An Aegis Ashore site with Baseline 9 is scheduled to be fully operational in Romania in the latter part of 2015 to defend parts of Europe from ballistic missile attacks, the alliance said.