The United States successfully conducted a test of interceptors that make up its Ground-Based Midcourse Defense(GMD) System. 

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency announced in a statement on Sunday that it successfully launched a mock-up of the Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle, or EKV, in a flight test the previous day. 

The EKV is a section of the Ground-Based Interceptor(GBI) designed to destroy targets in high-speed collisions after separating from the booster rocket.

The agency said Saturday’s launch was the first flight test of a three-stage booster operating in two-stage mode. This means the third stage was not ignited, allowing an earlier release of the kill vehicle which increased battlespace.

The statement said the new booster capability provides greater flexibility in defending the U.S. while “significantly” increasing unified military strategy to successfully engage with threats.

The agency’s announcement came just two hours before North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency(KCNA) reported that the North successfully test-fired a new type of long-range cruise missile on Saturday and Sunday.