US test fires Minuteman III nuclear missile a day after Donald Trump announced Golden Dome
Donald Trump
announced the plan to develop and deploy a massive anti-missile defense system named
Golden Dome
to protect the entire US, the country demonstrated its readiness to launch nuclear-tipped projectile capable of hitting targets several thousand miles away. The nuclear-capable Minuteman III
intercontinental ballistic missile
(ICBM) was test launched as part of the
nuclear deterrent
demonstration by a joint team of Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen.
The
Minuteman III
was not armed but equipped with a single Mark-21 High Fidelity Re-Entry Vehicle and fired from the Western Test Range at
Vandenberg Space Force Base
, California on May 21 at 12:01 am Pacific Time. The ICBM's reentry vehicle flew nearly 4,200 miles (6759 kilometers) and splashed in the Pacific Ocean in US Army Space and Missile Defense Command's Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site located within Republic of the Marshall Islands at the Kwajalein Atoll.
'This ICBM test launch underscores the strength of the nation's nuclear deterrent and the readiness of the ICBM leg of the triad. This powerful safeguard is maintained by dedicated Airmen – missileers, defenders, helicopter operators and the teams who supports them – who ensure the security of the nation and its allies,' said General Thomas Bussiere, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command in a press release following the test firing.
Also Read:
Trump's Golden Dome, the future of defence or a Star Wars fantasy in space?
US's one and only dedicated ICBM test organization, Vandenberg's 377th Test and Evaluation Group, oversaw the test launch. The press release quoted the 377th Test and Evaluation Group commander Colonel Dustin Harmon applauding the missile test.
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'Minuteman III remains the bedrock of our nation's strategic deterrent and the unwavering dedication of the Airmen who ensure its readiness are a testament to its inherent lethality. Their expertise and commitment are vital to maintaining this credible force for peace. As we look to the future, these same Airmen are paving the way for the Sentinel ICBM, ensuring a seamless transition to this next-generation capability and the continued security of our nation," said Col. Harmon.
Minuteman III ICBM details
In service since 1970, Minuteman III can carry a single
nuclear warhead
and can hit a target 8,700 miles (14,000 km) away. It is 18.3 meters longs and weighs 36,030 kilograms. The deadly missile reaches a speed of Mach 23 (17,500 mph; 28,200 km/h) in the terminal phase while hitting the target.
The thermonuclear warhead it carries can be detonate either on contact with the target or even be programmed to airburst above the same to impact a larger area.
President Trump had on May 20 announced the multi-billion dollar Golden Dome missile shield which would use space-based assets along with land and sea based radars to track and intercept enemy missiles launched at targets in the US. The defensive shield project will be led by Space Force Vice Chief of Space Operations General Michael A. Guetlein.
However, a major component of the Golden Dome is the space-based interceptors, a technology which is yet to be fully developed and mastered.
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