May 29, 2025, 6:15 am
The U.S. Air Force carried out a midnight test launch of an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile. The missile was launched at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time by Vandenberg Space Force Base in California from Air Force Global Strike Command.
Traveling over 4,200 miles or 6760 km at speeds exceeding 15,000 miles per hour or Mach 20 , the missile reached its target near the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Sensors at the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site—managed by the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command—tracked its trajectory and collected radar, optical, and telemetry data during its final phase to evaluate performance.
Gen. Thomas Bussiere, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command said,
“This ICBM test launch underscores the strength of the nation’s nuclear deterrent and the readiness of the ICBM leg of the triad. This powerful safeguard is maintained by dedicated Airmen—missileers, defenders, helicopter crews, and their support teams—who protect our nation and its allies.”
According to the US Air Force, the missile was randomly selected from Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana and outfitted with a Mark 21 High Fidelity Reentry Vehicle, which in operational conditions would carry a nuclear warhead.
In this video, Defense Updates analyzes why the test firing of Minuteman-III ICBM is an unambiguous signal to adversaries ?
#defenseupdates #MinutemanIII #usmilitary
Chapters:
0:00 TITLE
00:11 INTRODUCTION
01:45 SPONSORSHIP – NordVPN
02:19 RADAR is critical for THAAD
03:07 THE UPGRADED RADAR
06:32 ANALYSIS
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