Latest news with #Sentinel
Hindustan Times
25-05-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Pune witnesses a surge in Covid cases, 5 children hospitalised
Pune city has witnessed a surge in Covid-19 infection cases, and as per treating doctors, the uptick has been witnessed over the past week. Doctors at Sassoon General Hospital (SGH) have reported the virus infection amongst five children. On Sunday, a six-month-old boy was discharged from the hospital after successful treatment. He had tested positive for Covid-19 on 21 May. Similarly, a three-month-old girl was discharged from SGH on 22 May. She tested positive for the virus infection on 18 many. Both patients required oxygen support during treatment, said the officials. Also Read | COVID scare: Lucknow hospitals gear up to deal with potential emergencies There are three Covid-19 patients currently undergoing treatment at the Pediatric ward. This includes a 13-year-old girl and a 13-year-old boy. Both of them were admitted a week back and are known cases of tuberculosis and are on oxygen support. Besides, a one-year-old girl has tested positive for Covid-19 and is undergoing treatment. She has been admitted with complaints of convulsions and high-grade fever, said the SGH doctors. Dr Aarti Kinikar, head of the pediatric department at BJMC and SGH, said a surge in Covid-19 cases, especially in pediatric patients, has been witnessed over a week. Also Read | Covid-19 cases rise in India: Surge reported in Delhi, Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka 'We daily send around four to five samples to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) for testing. Few patients came with complaints of pneumonia, and the symptoms were mild among the infected. We are a part of the Sentinel survey for the state and country,' she said. Dr Ekanth Pawar, dean of BJMC and SGH, said, 'There has been a surge in cases of Covid-19. The surge has been witnessed amongst the children, but the symptoms remain mild.' Also Read | New Covid variants NB.1.8.1 and LF.7 detected in India, INSACOG data says: Is there any risk? Maharashtra on Sunday reported 43 fresh Covid-19 cases. Of which 35 are from Mumbai, 7 from Pune Municipal Corporation and 1 from Pune Rural. Since January, as many as 300 Covid cases and four deaths among the infected have been reported.
Hindustan Times
22-05-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
US launches Minuteman III missile to show ‘strength of the nation's nuclear deterrent': Watch
The US Air Force recently launched a nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) which is capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to anywhere on Earth. The launch took place on Wednesday morning, May 21, as part of a regular test of the country's doomsday missiles. The Minuteman III missile launched from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, the military said, according to the New York Post. The missile was unarmed at the time of the launch. Officials confirmed that the missile traveled 15,000 miles per hour to a test site in the Marshall Islands 4,200 miles away. The Minuteman is a 1970-era program that the Air Force has planned to replace with the Sentinel system. However, delays and cutbacks have been plaguing the program. Wednesday's launch came with the message that 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 also said that the test was routine and not a response to the world events taking place at present. The Air Force's initial plan was to decommission all of its Cold War-era missiles by 2039. However, the Sentinel has not been fully tested yet. In fact, delays plaguing the program could postpone the transition date to at least 2050, Bloomberg reported. The Air Force has insisted that the Sentinel program is on track, and that 'until full capability is achieved, the Air Force is committed to ensuring Minuteman III remains a viable deterrent.' In a clarification, the Air Force said that themissile test was "not a response to current world events.' It said it was only a routine test as part of the 1970-era Minuteman III program.
News18
22-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
US Launches Doomsday Minuteman III Nuclear-Capable Missile
Last Updated: Minuteman III Launch: The US Air Force has affirmed its commitment to ensuring the Minuteman III "remains a viable deterrent". The US Air Force launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, in what officials described as a 'doomsday missile test." The launch was captured on video and comes as Washington reaffirms the strength of its nuclear deterrent. What Is Minuteman III? The Minuteman III, a nuclear-capable missile, traveled approximately 4,200 miles at a speed exceeding 15,000 miles per hour, reaching the US Army Space and Missile Defense Command's Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. At 12:01am on May 21, 2025, the U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command launched an LGM-30G 'Minuteman III" Unarmed Nuclear-Capable Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) equipped with a single Mark-21 High Fidelity Re-Entry Vehicle from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.… — OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) May 21, 2025 The Minuteman III is equipped with a single Mark-21 high-fidelity re-entry vehicle, which would typically carry a nuclear payload in an operational scenario. The missile has undergone numerous tests in the past, including one just before Donald Trump declared his presidential victory in November 2024. The Minuteman program, dating back to the 1970s, is slated for replacement by the Sentinel system. The Air Force has affirmed its commitment to ensuring the Minuteman III 'remains a viable deterrent" until the Sentinel achieves full operational capability. General Thomas Bussiere, commander of the US Global Strike Command, emphasized the significance of the test, saying, 'This ICBM test launch underscores the strength of the nation's nuclear deterrent and the readiness of the ICBM leg of the triad." He further praised the personnel who maintain this critical capability, adding, '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." Why Minuteman III Is Crucial? The test coincides with US President Donald Trump's recent announcement of initial $25 billion funding for 'Golden Dome," a proposed nationwide missile defense system. TDonald rump envisions a comprehensive system capable of defending against a wide range of threats, from ICBMs to hypersonic and cruise missiles and drones, with an eventual cost estimated at $175 billion. Watch India Pakistan Breaking News on CNN-News18. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published:
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
21-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Air Force test-launches unarmed Minuteman III missile
The Air Force conducted a midnight test Wednesday of an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile. Airmen from Air Force Global Strike Command launched the Minuteman III at 12:01 Pacific time from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. It flew about 4,200 miles, at a speed of more than 15,000 miles per hour, to a test site at the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Sensors at the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site there tracked the missile as it approached and collected radar, optical and telemetry data in its terminal phase, to help measure how well the missile performed. That site is operated by the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command. 'This ICBM test launch underscores the strength of the nation's nuclear deterrent and the readiness of the ICBM leg of the triad,' Global Strike commander Gen. Thomas Bussiere said in a statement. 'This powerful safeguard is maintained by dedicated airmen – missileers, defenders, helicopter operators and the teams who support them – who ensure the security of the nation and its allies.' The missile was randomly selected and came from Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana, the Air Force said. It was equipped with a Mark 21 High Fidelity Reentry Vehicle, which would typically contain a nuclear payload if a Minuteman III were launched operationally. The service released video of the test a few hours later. The 377th Test and Evaluation Group at Vandenberg oversaw the launch, which took place at the base's Western Test Range. The task force supporting the launch was made up of airmen from all three of the service's missile wings – the 90th at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming, the 91st at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, and the 341st at Malmstrom. Maintainers from the 90th and 341st also conducted maintenance for the launch. The Air Force regularly conducts nighttime tests of the Minuteman III, which is more than 50 years old and nearing the end of its life span, to ensure it continues to function safely and as designed. The service has conducted more than 300 such tests, most recently in February. The Air Force's roughly 400 Minuteman III make up the land-based portion of the United States' nuclear triad, along with submarine-launched nuclear missiles and bombers capable of delivering air-launched weapons. Minuteman III is expected to be replaced by a new ICBM, the Northrop Grumman-made LGM-35A Sentinel, sometime in the 2030s. But Sentinel faces multiple challenges. Building its ground-based infrastructure for command and control, including laying thousands of miles of fiberoptic cable across the Great Plains region to connect launch centers, is now expected to be much more complicated than originally anticipated. The projected future costs of Sentinel grew dramatically enough to trigger a review process known as a critical Nunn-McCurdy breach. The Pentagon concluded that Sentinel remains vital to national security and must continue, and ordered the Air Force to restructure it to bring its costs under control. Sentinel was originally expected to cost $77.7 billion, but prior to the review was on track to more than double that and cost about $160 billion. However, the Pentagon said last year that a 'reasonably modified' version of Sentinel would still cost 81% more than the original estimates, or $140.9 billion. The Air Force has also concluded it will need to dig entirely new silos for Sentinel, which will further complicate the program. The program originally planned to refurbish the existing network of 55-year-old Minuteman III silos for use by the next generation of ICBMs. But tests showed doing so would create additional problems and cause the program to slip further behind and over budget. The Air Force plans to primarily dig new silos on existing missile sites, which are already owned by the service.
