US launches nuclear missile in 'doomsday test' to showcase readiness amid growing WW3 fears
The US Air Force launched a hypersonic missile early Wednesday in what officials described as a 'doomsday test.'
The Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) was launched at 12:01am PT from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The test coincided with President Donald Trump unveiling plans for a proposed $175 billion 'Golden Dome' defense system.
According to Trump, the system is intended to protect the US from the world's most powerful weapons, drawing sharp criticism from China and Russia, who warn it could ignite a global arms race.
The Air Force described Wednesday's launch as 'part of routine and periodic activities designed to demonstrate that the US nuclear deterrent remains safe, secure, reliable, and effective in deterring 21st-century threats and reassuring our allies.'
The unarmed missile traveled 15,000 miles per hour, completing a 4,200-mile journey in approximately 22 minutes before reaching its target near Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean.
Data collected during the flight will be used to assess the missile system's performance and reliability.
Col. Dustin Harmon, commander of the test, said, 'Minuteman III remains the bedrock of our nation's strategic deterrent, and the unwavering dedication of the Airmen who ensure its readiness is 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.'
The unarmed missile traveled 15,000 miles per hour, completing a 4,200-mile journey in approximately 22 minutes before reaching its target near Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean
The hypersonic weapon was designed to hit any target worldwide in just 30 minutes after launch.
Moscow sits about 6,000 miles from California, while Beijing is about 6,3000 miles away - two nations deemed as threats to the US.
America's ICBM is capable of carrying three Mk 12A nuclear warheads, each packing up to 350,000 tons of TNT, but today's test launched an unarmed missile.
The Air Force randomly chose a missile from F.E. Warren Air Force base in Wyoming and transported more it than 1,300 miles to California where it was reassembled.
'With more than 300 similar tests conducted in the past, this test is part of the Nation's ongoing commitment to maintaining a credible deterrent and is not a response to current world events,' officials said.
The ICBM is one of two missiles currently used by America. The other is submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) that are deployed from underwater submarines.
The weapon is a vital component of the US military's nuclear forces, capable of delivering a nuclear payload to targets around the world, but is scheduled to be phased out by 2029 and replaced with the LGM-35A Sentinel ICBM.
The US Air Force said that 'the Sentinel weapon system is the most cost-effective option for maintaining a safe, secure, and effective land-based leg of the nuclear triad and would extend its capabilities through 2075.'
The LG-35A Sentinel will replace the Minuteman III ICBM with an initial capability of 2029.
Until full capability is achieved in the mid-2030s, the Air Force is committed to ensuring Minuteman III remains a viable deterrent.
While Trump's 'Golden Dome' is set to be operational by the end of his term in 2029.
Such a defence programme is 'long overdue' and 'absolutely necessary' amid growing threats from China, North Korea and Russia, experts have said in response to Tuesday's announcement.
The weapon traveled more than 4,000 miles at speeds over 15,000 miles per hour to a test range on the Marshall Islands in the central Pacific Ocean
Moscow and Beijing have both put offensive weapons in space, such as satellites with abilities to disable critical US satellites, which can make America vulnerable to attack.
Beijing has warned that the plan to put US weapons into the earth's orbit for the first time 'heightens the risk of space becoming a battlefield, fuels an arms race, and undermines international security.'
Meanwhile Moscow has called for Washington to make contact regarding the programme.
Trump said on Tuesday that he had not yet spoken to Vladimir Putin regarding the programme, but would do so 'at the right time '.
Following talks between the allies earlier this month, Beijing and Moscow released a joint statement condemning Washington's plans as being 'deeply destabilising' and turning space into 'an arena for armed confrontation.'
Trump promised that the completed system will protect the US from 'cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles, drones, whether they're conventional or nuclear.'
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