The U.S. Air Force officials at Vandenberg Air Force base in Santa Barbara County will send up a ground-based interceptor to shoot down a simulated incoming warhead. This drill that will take place on Tuesday is designed to prepare for any North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile strike.
The launch is scheduled to take place between noon and 4pm and is expected to be visible from the Los Angeles area.
The American interceptor has an uneven record, it has succeeded nine times out of 17 attempts against simulated missiles since 1999. The most recent test in June 2014 was a success.
North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, has threatened to deploy a nuclear-armed missile capable of reaching the United States. The North Koreans have not tested an intercontinental ballistic missile but officials believe they are planning to.