Nikkei and Mainichi reported on an MOD announcement that an updated MSDF Aegis warship conducted a missile interception test off Hawaii and successfully destroyed a mock projectile with a SM-3 block IB interceptor. Another interception test involving a separate MSDF destroyer will be carried out by March next year. The ministry is reportedly aiming to have a total of eight Aegis destroyers fitted with the state-of-the-art interceptors by the end of FY2020.