| http://www.khon2.com/news/local/19478579.html
On Thursday, The USS Lake Erie will be asked to intercept a missile in its last few seconds of flight.
Unlike past Aegis missile tests from Kauai's Barking Sands, the target during Thursday's exercise will not be fired from land.
According to Chris Taylor of the Missile Defense Agency, "This time, we're going to be launching the target from a mobile platform so both the target launch and intercept attempt will be at sea."
The Aegis cruiser USS Lake Erie, which has been the Navy's test bed for its anti-ballistic missile program, will fire two missiles at a single missile launched from the deck of the USS Tripoli.
"The ship with its radar will detect and track the target" explains Taylor. "The crew will launch the missiles then you expect intercept within a matter of minutes after the launch of the target."
Lake Erie's crew will fire two missiles to take out the target in its final phase, what's known as a "terminal intercept."
"We're 1 for 1 in that and that's roughly intercepting a target that normally you wouldn't intercept until its last 45 seconds of flight says Taylor.
The test is scheduled for 11:30 Thursday morning.
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