090730XXXXX-003 PACIFIC OCEAN (July 30, 2009) The Aegis-class destroyer USS Hopper (DDG 70) launches a standard missile (SM) 3 Blk IA during exercise Stellar Avenger, successfully intercepting a sub-scale short-range ballistic missile launched from the Kauai Test Facility at the Pacific Missile Range Facility, Barking Sans, Kauai, Hawaii. This was the 19th successful intercept for the Aegis BMD program in 23 at-sea firings, including the February 2008 destruction of a malfunctioning satellite above the earthХs atmosphere. ( Navy

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Keywords: avenger, ballistic, bmd, ddg, defense, destroyer, missile, ship, stellar, weapon