Latest news with #USArmySpaceandMissileDefenceCommand
NDTV
22-05-2025
- Science
- NDTV
In Pics: All You Need To Know About US' Minuteman III Missile
The US Air Force launched a nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), Minuteman III, in a doomsday missile test on Wednesday. The missile was unarmed when it was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. According to the US Air Force, the missile flew about 4,200 miles, at a speed of more than 15,000 miles per hour, to the US Army Space and Missile Defence Command's Ronald Reagan Ballistic Defence test site at the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Here's all you need to know about the Minuteman III Missile
India Today
22-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
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 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 part of the triad program, US has "400 on-alert, combat-ready LGM-30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles" that could be launched from 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 Watch
NDTV
22-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Watch: US Launches Nuclear-Capable Minuteman III In Doomsday Missile Test
Washington: Amid US President Donald Trump's plan for a nationwide missile defense system, the US Air Force launched a nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), Minuteman III, in a doomsday missile test on Wednesday. The missile was unarmed when it was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. According to the US Air Force, the missile flew about 4,200 miles, at a speed of more than 15,000 miles per hour, to the US Army Space and Missile Defence Command's Ronald Reagan Ballistic Defence test site at the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. A video shows the launch of the Minuteman III missile test. 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 General Thomas Bussiere, commander of the US Global Strike Command, in a statement, said, "This ICBM test launch underscores the strength of the nation's nuclear deterrent and the readiness of the ICBM leg of the triad." He added, "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." The US military also clarified that the missile launch test was routine and "not a response to current world events". The Minuteman III nuclear-capable missile is equipped with a single Mark-21 high-fidelity re-entry vehicle - which would typically contain a nuclear payload if it were launched operationally. It has been test-launched many times in the past - even moments before Trump declared his Presidential victory in November 2024. The Minuteman is a 1970-era program that the Air Force plans to replace with the Sentinel system. "Until full capability is achieved, the Air Force is committed to ensuring Minuteman III remains a viable deterrent," it said. Donald Trump's 'Golden Dome' Plans Trump on Tuesday announced an initial $25 billion in funding for ' Golden Dome ' - a nationwide missile defense system - saying its eventual cost would be about $175 billion. He wants a system that can defend against a wide array of enemy weapons, from intercontinental ballistic missiles to hypersonic and cruise missiles and drones. The US President wants the system ready in about three years, or as he nears the end of his second term in office. However, his plans are facing significant technical and political challenges. "The main challenges will be cost, the defense industrial base, and political will. They can all be overcome, but it will take focus and prioritisation," an expert said as quoted by news agency AFP.
