Video: US tests Minuteman III nuclear-capable missile that can strike anywhere
In a show of force, the US launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) -- capable of carrying nuclear warheads and targeting locations anywhere in the world -- from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, as part of the country's regular doomsday missile tests.The ICBM travelled approximately 6,760 kilometers, according to reports. The video of the launch was released by the United State Air Force. advertisementThe missile reportedly travelled at a speed of over 24,140 kilometers per hour and reached the US Army Space and Missile Defence Command's Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defence Test Site in the Marshall Islands, near Australia's northeastern coast.
Following the test, the US Global Strike Command issued a statement, saying: "This ICBM test launch underscores the strength of the nation's nuclear deterrent and the readiness of the ICBM leg of the triad."According to the US's Department of Defence, the country's triad program comprises of weapons and platforms to act as a deterrent from any potential attack "from our adversaries" on land, air and water.As part of the triad program, US has "400 on-alert, combat-ready LGM-30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles" that could be launched from land.The Department of Defence further states that ballistics missile submarines or "boomers" are deployed to deter any attack from the sea while on air, "America's bomber fleet provides a range of both conventional and nuclear response options."The Air Force clarified that the missile test was "not a response to current world events," calling it a routine test as part of the 1970-era Minuteman III program.Must Watch
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India.com
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