U.S. steps up missile defense in Hawaii

Japanese intelligence reports suggest North Korea may attempt to fire a missile in Hawaii’s direction on or around July 4. The day marks both the 15th anniversary of Kim Il-Sung‘s death and independence day in the United States. Though most experts consider North Korea’s Taepodong-2 long-range ballistic missile unreliable after it failed a flight test ...

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584677_090619_missile5.jpg

Japanese intelligence reports suggest North Korea may attempt to fire a missile in Hawaii's direction on or around July 4. The day marks both the 15th anniversary of Kim Il-Sung's death and independence day in the United States.

Japanese intelligence reports suggest North Korea may attempt to fire a missile in Hawaii’s direction on or around July 4. The day marks both the 15th anniversary of Kim Il-Sung‘s death and independence day in the United States.

Though most experts consider North Korea’s Taepodong-2 long-range ballistic missile unreliable after it failed a flight test in 2006, the U.S. Defense Department isn’t taking any chances. In response to the threat, defense secretary Robert Gates has deployed missile interceptors to the region and ordered the SBX radar system to provide support.

Update: Here’s a more up-to-date link for SBX.

AFP/Getty Images

Brian Fung is an editorial researcher at FP.

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