FILE PHOTO: A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor is launched during a successful intercept test, in this undated handout photo provided by the U.S. Department of Defense, Missile Defense Agency. U.S. Department of Defense, Missile Defense Agency/Handout via Reuters/File Photo ( REUTERS/IMAGE SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY)

WASHINGTON, July 30 (Xinhua) -- U.S. forces carried out a missile interception system test on Sunday, a military agency said.

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the U.S. Army conducted a successful missile defense test, using the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, the MDA said Sunday in a press release.

The MDA also said a C-17 military transport aircraft launched a medium-range target ballistic missile (MRBM) over the Pacific Ocean, which was "detected, tracked and intercepted" by the THAAD weapon system located at Pacific Spaceport Complex Alaska in Kodiak, Alaska.

The test was conducted to gather threat data from a THAAD interceptor in flight, it added.

This was the 15th tests for the THAAD weapon system.