Latest news with #MinutemanIIIICBM
New York Post
21-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
US launches doomsday Minuteman III nuclear-capable missile in dramatic show of force
The US Air Force launched a nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to anywhere on Earth Wednesday morning — as part of a regular test of the country's doomsday missiles. The Minuteman III missile was unarmed when it launched from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, the military said. The missile traveled 15,000 miles per hour to a test site in the Marshall Islands 4,200 miles away, officials said. The Minuteman is a 1970-era program that the Air Force plans to replace with the Sentinel system — but that program has been plagued by cutbacks and delays. 5 A Minuteman III missile blasts off from the Vandenberg Space Force Base. X/Sentdefender 5 The Minuteman III (pictured) travelled 15,000 miles per hour to a test site in the Marshall Islands. X/Sentdefender 5 A view of the Minuteman III against the night's sky. X/Sentdefender Thus, Wednesday's launch came with a message: America's nuclear deterrent is still ready. 'This ICBM test launch underscores the strength of the nation's nuclear deterrent and the readiness of the ICBM leg of the triad,' Gen. Thomas Bussiere, commander of the U.S. Global Strike Command, said in a statement. The Air Force added that the test was routine and 'not a response to current world events.' The U.S.'s 'nuclear triad' comprises nuclear-armed bombers, stealthy submarines carrying Polaris nuclear ICBMs and roughly 400 land-based Minuteman III missiles. 5 The comet-like trail of a launched Minuteman III ICBM. X/Sentdefender 5 The Cold War-era Minuteman III ICBM will eventually be replaced by the Sentinel missile system. X/Sentdefender The Air Force had planned to decommission all of its Cold War-era missiles by 2039, but the Sentinel hasn't even been fully tested yet, and delays in the program could push the transition date to at least 2050, according to Bloomberg. Yet the Air Force insisted the Sentinel program is on track, adding that 'until full capability is achieved, the Air Force is committed to ensuring Minuteman III remains a viable deterrent.'
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
U.S. military tests nuclear missile in Southern California
If you were outside around 1 a.m. Wednesday on the West Coast, you may have seen or heard the U.S. military test-launching an intercontinental ballistic missile. A joint team of Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen and Vandenberg Space Force Base Guardians launched an unmanned Minuteman III ICBM equipped with a 'single telemetered joint test assembly re-entry vehicle' from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County, according to a media release from the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force. Vandenberg serves as the primary testing ground for the Air Force Global Strike Command's ICBM deterrent infrastructure. Wednesday morning's test was part of what federal officials call 'routine and periodic activities' that ensure the United States' nuclear deterrent 'remains safe, secure, reliable and effective in deterring 21st century threats and reassuring our allies.' 'Wednesday's test launch is just one of the ways the [U.S. Air Force] demonstrates the readiness, precision and professionalism of U.S. nuclear forces,' Acting Secretary of the Air Force Gary Ashworth said. 'It also provides confidence in the lethality and effectiveness of the nation's nuclear deterrence mission.' Over 300 similar tests have been conducted in the past, officials said. The 377th Test and Evaluation Group, which is located at Vandenberg SFB, is the nation's only dedicated ICBM test organization that professionally runs tests that measure both the current and future capabilities of the nation's ICBM force. According to 377th Test and Evaluation Group Commander Col. Dustin Harmon, officials looked at key data points that not only help maintain current ICBM technology but pave the way for new technology. 'During this test, we collected and analyzed performance and other key data points to evaluate current missile system competencies,' said Col. Harmon. 'This allows our team to analyze and report accuracy and reliability for the current system while validating projected missile system improvements. The data we collect and analyze is crucial for maintaining Minuteman III while we pave the way for Sentinel.' The Air Force's Sentinel weapon system is a modernization of the ground leg of the U.S. nuclear system being overseen by aerospace and defense firm Northrop Grumman. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
