US to test new missile as arms treaty with Russia ends

WASHINGTON: With the scrapping of a landmark arms control agreement on Friday, the US announced plans to test a new missile amid growing concerns about emerging threats and new weapons.

US officials said they were no longer hamstrung and could now develop weapons systems previously banned under the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces treaty with Russia, a Cold War-era agreement that both sides repeatedly accused the other of violating. The treaty was also criticized because it did not cover China or missile technology that did not exist a generation ago.