The United States carried out a test launch of the Minuteman III, often referred to as the “doomsday missile”, late Tuesday night from the California coast, even as tensions remain high due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The intercontinental ballistic missile was launched at around 11 pm from Vandenberg Space Force Base near Santa Barbara, according to the US Space Force. The unarmed missile, identified as GT 254, travelled thousands of miles across the Pacific Ocean before striking its intended test target near the Marshall Islands in the west-central Pacific.
Reportedly, officials said the launch was part of a planned test to evaluate the missile system’s performance and reliability.
Test meant to assess missile readiness
US military authorities stated that the exercise was conducted to examine the operational capability of the missile and confirm that the system continues to function as expected.
The Air Force Global Strike Command said that the missile was fired to “verify the effectiveness, readiness and accuracy.”
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Lt Col Karrie Wray, commander of the 576th Flight Test Squadron, said the launch enabled the military to observe how different components of the system perform during an operational scenario.
“It allowed us to assess the performance of individual components of the missile system,” Wray said in a press release.
“By continually assessing varying mission profiles, we are able to enhance the performance of the entire (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile) fleet, ensuring the maximum level of readiness for the land-based leg of the nation’s nuclear triad”, she further added.
Test conducted during heightened tensions
The missile test came at a time of rising geopolitical tensions following recent strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran.
The strikes reportedly killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, triggering a broader regional conflict. US President Donald Trump later warned that Washington could intensify military action against Iran, stating that “the big one is coming.”
Despite the timing, the Air Force Global Strike Command said the launch was routine and had been scheduled several years earlier.
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What is the Minuteman III missile?
The Minuteman III forms a crucial part of the US nuclear deterrence system known as the nuclear triad, which consists of land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched missiles and air-delivered nuclear weapons.
These missiles are kept in underground silos across the western United States and are designed to ensure that the country can respond in the event of a nuclear attack.
According to US military data, the missile can travel around 6,000 miles at speeds exceeding 15,000 miles per hour, allowing it to reach targets across the globe within minutes.
A similar Minuteman III test launch was conducted in November, shortly after President Trump called for restarting nuclear weapons testing.
