The U.S. military has successfully tested a new, more sensitive interceptor missile by shooting down a short-range ballistic missile off Hawaii, the Associated Press reported.

The Missile Defence Agency says the USS Lake Erie detected and tracked the short-range missile launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Wednesday night.

The guided missile cruiser fired the interceptor, which took out the missile.

The agency says the new interceptor has a two-color infrared seeker, which allows it to detect targets further away.

The agency says the test was the 22nd time its Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense system, which is operated from ships, has successfully intercepted a target. The Aegis program has attempted intercepts 27 times. (AP)