The United States is deploying 30 ground-based interceptor missiles to counter the North Korean missile threat.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Thursday that given the level of missile capability that North Korea has now and is likely to have for years to come, the 30 interceptors should provide a sufficient level of defense against Pyongyang. However, Gates did not elaborate on where the interceptors are being deployed.

He made the remark as a justification for the Barack Obama administration's plans to cut the budget for an increase in the number of the interceptors to 44.

Thursday marked the first time for the U.S. to confirm that ground-based interceptors target North Korean missiles.