WASHINGTON >> The U.S. Missile Defense Agency successfully intercepted an air-launched intermediate range ballistic missile target during a test off Guam for the first time, a significant milestone in the island’s defense capabilities, the Pentagon said today.

Guam, a U.S. territory in the Western Pacific, is a strategic military outpost that is closer to China than to Hawaii. It plays a crucial role in maintaining U.S. presence in the region and deterring potential adversaries.

The successful test underscores the Pentagon’s commitment to bolstering Guam’s defenses against evolving missile threats.

During the test, dubbed Flight Experiment Mission-02, the Aegis Guam System, integrated with the new AN/TPY-6 radar and Vertical Launching System, fired a Standard Missile-3 Block IIA.

The missile — made by RTX Corp., formerly Raytheon — successfully intercepted an air-launched Medium Range Ballistic Missile target off the coast of Andersen Air Force Base.

Missile Defense Agency Director Lt. Gen. Heath Collins hailed the test as a “tremendous group effort,” emphasizing its significance in validating joint tracking architecture and integrated air and missile defense capabilities for Guam.

The successful intercept is part of a broader initiative to develop the Guam Defense System, which aims to provide an enhanced integrated air and missile defense system.

The agency plans to use the data gathered from this experiment to further refine and validate the concept and requirements for the future Guam Defense System.