Photo: Vandenberg Space Force Base
The United States carried out a test launch of a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on 5 November from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, the U.S. Space Force said. The missile was launched without a nuclear warhead.
Designated GT 254, the exercise evaluated the current reliability, operational readiness and accuracy of the Minuteman III system, a cornerstone of the nation’s strategic deterrent, the command said. The AFGSC flight crew from the 625th Strategic Operations Squadron used an airborne launch control system aboard a U.S. Navy E-6B Mercury to execute the launch and validate the ALCS, a backup command-and-control capability for ICBM forces.
According to the statement, the missile flew roughly 4,200 miles (about 6,800 km). The Minuteman III has a maximum range of approximately 9,500 km. The Space Force described the launch as part of a series of routine and periodic events essential to assessing and confirming the Minuteman III’s capabilities.
“This test confirmed the system’s reliability, adaptability and modularity,” said Col. Dustin Harmon, commander of the 377th Test and Evaluation Group. Harmon added that the comprehensive assessment by the specialized AFGSC flight team helps maintain the highest standards of system integrity and reliability.
The test comes after U.S. President Donald Trump last week ordered the Department of Defense to resume nuclear weapons testing “on equal terms” with other nuclear powers, though this particular launch did not carry a nuclear payload.
