The Aegis Ashore test facility in Hawaii might become the newest U.S. anti-ballistic missile site as the Pentagon toys with the idea of making it fully operational.
By Missile Defense Agency – United States Department of Defense (United States Naval Institute News) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
The Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) site at Fort Greely, Alaska currently protects Hawaii and the U.S. West Coast from North Korean ballistic missiles. Having another site in Hawaii will add an extract layer of protection.
In a classified report to Congress in September 2014, the Missile Defense Agency said it was exploring the viability of turning the site operational.
Anonymous sources told Reuters that going operational would require additional personnel, arming it with live missiles and boost the perimeter security. This will cost American taxpayers an additional $41 million.
The facility also need to be integrated with the U.S. ballistic missile defense system to function properly.
The Aegis Ashore test site carried out its first intercept using a SM-3 Block 1B missile last month.
[thumb]http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-missile-defense-hawaii-idUSKCN0V0008[/thumb]