The Pentagon's newest Aegis ballistic missile interceptor -- the Standard Missile-3 Block IIA -- intercepted a target in a key operational test over the Pacific today, a pivotal event that caps a 12-year development, sets the stage for a technical declaration of improved defenses against Iranian threats and also makes way for a long-delayed production decision. The Missile Defense Agency said it conducted Flight Test Integrated-03 (FTI-03), a live-fire event that marked three significant achievements for the SM-3 Block IIA...
