The Pentagon insists the Minuteman III “is not a response to current world events”
The US military has test-fired an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of carrying nuclear warheads, in what it described as a routine check. The test was the first of its kind under the administration of President Donald Trump.
According to the US Air Force, the missile was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Wednesday. Officials said the launch was intended “to demonstrate that the United States’ nuclear deterrent remains safe, secure, reliable, and effective in deterring 21st-century threats and reassuring allies.”
The Air Force also said the launch “is not a response to current world events,” noting that the US has conducted over 300 similar tests in the past.
According to Col. Dustin Harmon, the test allowed the military to analyze the accuracy and reliability of the current system as the US waits for the development of the new Sentinel ICBM to be completed. Sentinel is currently in the early stages and is expected to begin replacing Minuteman from 2029 to 2075.
US officials did not say whether they had warned Russia, China, or any other nuclear powers of the missile test.
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First introduced in the 1970s, the Minuteman III remains a critical part of the US nuclear deterrent strategy. The country has 400 operational missiles of this type stationed in underground silos in Montana, North Dakota, and Wyoming.
The Minuteman III has a range of 8,700 miles (14,000 km) and can travel at speeds in excess of 15,000 mph (24,000 kph).
The previous Minuteman III test took place on November 5, as Americans were heading to the polls to vote in the presidential election. At the time, US officials also said the move was in no way related to any geopolitical tensions.
