AEGIS TEST MEANT TO BOLSTER ISRAELI MISSILE DEFENSE

WASHINGTON [MENL] -- The U.S. Navy plans to conduct the first of a series oftests to ensure that its Aegis missile defense system can help protectIsrael from an Iraqi Scud attack. Officials said the Defense Department and the military have launched aprogram to conduct six tests of the Aegis to develop an emergency deploymentsea-based ballistic missile defense against short- to medium-range ballisticmissiles. The first test is scheduled for Thursday and will take place inthe Pacific Ocean.