1 9 9 9 . ▁Instead ▁of ▁using ▁an ▁explos ive ▁charge , ▁it ▁launch es ▁a ▁hit - to - kill ▁kin etic ▁project ile ▁to ▁intercept ▁an ▁IC B M . ▁The ▁current ▁G MD ▁system ▁is ▁intended ▁to ▁shield ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁main land ▁against ▁a ▁limited ▁nuclear ▁attack ▁by ▁a ▁ro gue ▁state ▁such ▁as ▁North ▁Korea . ▁G MD ▁does ▁not ▁have ▁the ▁ability ▁to ▁protect ▁against ▁an ▁all - out ▁nuclear ▁attack ▁from ▁Russia , ▁as ▁there ▁are ▁ 4 4 ▁ground - based ▁intercept ors ▁deployed ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁against ▁any ▁crossing ▁project iles ▁head ed ▁toward ▁the ▁hom eland . ▁( This ▁inter ceptor ▁count ▁does ▁not ▁include ▁the ▁TH A AD , ▁or ▁A eg is , ▁or ▁Patri ot ▁def enses ▁against ▁directly ▁incoming ▁project iles .) ▁ ▁The ▁Isra eli ▁Ar row ▁ 3 ▁system ▁entered ▁oper ational ▁service ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁It ▁is ▁designed ▁for ▁ex o - at mos phere ▁inter ception ▁of ▁ball istic ▁miss iles ▁during ▁the ▁space fl ight ▁portion ▁of ▁their ▁traject ory , ▁including ▁those ▁of ▁IC B M s . ▁It ▁may ▁also ▁act ▁as ▁an ▁anti - s at ellite ▁weapon . ▁ ▁The ▁Indian ▁Pr ith vi ▁Def ence ▁Ve h icle ▁Mark - II ▁has ▁the ▁cap ability ▁to ▁shoot ▁down ▁IC B M s . ▁It ▁has ▁completed ▁development al ▁tri als ▁and ▁is ▁await ing ▁the ▁Indian ▁government ' s ▁clear ance