21.   Most U.S. efforts have focused on weapons intended to intercept a missile during the midcourse of flight because the technology to achieve that is more mature.

22.   Putin reaffirmed his opposition to testing any kind of a weapons system that could intercept missiles aimed at the United States and its allies.

23.   Shortly thereafter, Mr. Putin also talked about theater-based systems and the ability to intercept missiles on launch.

24.   The perceived North Korean threat has given rise to demands among some influential U.S. groups for a national missile defense system capable of intercepting incoming missiles.

25.   The military declined to confirm when it will fire the Patriot missiles, which are intended to intercept incoming missiles.

26.   The SeaSparrow is designed to intercept anti-ship missiles.

27.   These concerns have driven the concept of intercepting enemy missiles in the boost phase, known as BPI, so fallout occurs over enemy territory.

28.   There it is supposed to intercept enemy missiles, distinguish them from decoys with which an adversary might surround its intercontinental missile, and then destroy the missile.

29.   To boost its ability to intercept incoming missiles, the island has purchased U.S. Patriot missiles and hopes to participate in the proposed U.S. Theater Missile Defense system.

30.   U.S. supporters say such the purpose of the land-based system would be to intercept missiles that might be fired by rogue states.