Sea-based missile defense flunks test

An interceptor missile fired last month from a U.S. cruiser missed its target, a mock warhead, over the Pacific Ocean.

By September 2004, U.S. President George W. Bush wants to have missile defenses in place to guard against a strike from North Korea. The initial deployment involves six land-based missile interceptors in Alaska and four in California. Up to 20 smaller interceptors were to be added in 2005 on three Navy cruisers.

These sea-based interceptors are designed to knock out short to intermediate-range missiles closer to their launch pads.