On Wednesday (May 21), the U.S. military conducted the second intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test launch of the year, launching a “Minuteman III” ICBM from California without a nuclear warhead, with the target set for the Pacific region.
The Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) stated in a release that “this test launch is a routine and regular activity aimed at demonstrating the United States’ nuclear deterrent capabilities to remain safe, reliable, and effective in addressing 21st-century threats and reassuring our allies.”
The “Minuteman III” missile was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time on Wednesday.
The missile carried an unarmed Mark-21 re-entry vehicle, flew approximately 4,200 miles, and reached the U.S. Army’s missile test range at Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, a crucial base for U.S. space programs located in the central Pacific.
According to the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), the U.S. has deployed 400 “Minuteman III” ICBMs in missile silos in Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wyoming, each carrying a single nuclear warhead, with an official range of over 6,000 miles.
Intercontinental ballistic missiles are one of the three components of the U.S. nuclear triad, which also includes ballistic missile submarines and nuclear-capable bombers. As of 2023, the U.S. possesses 3,748 nuclear warheads according to the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).
This “Minuteman III” missile test comes after reports of Russia canceling the previously publicized RS-24 “Yars” ICBM launch.
China conducted a rare ICBM test last September, launching an older model intercontinental ballistic missile, the DF-31AG.
The AFGSC headquarters in Louisiana stated that this test is not a response to current world events, adding that the U.S. military has conducted over 300 similar tests in the past as part of its commitment to maintaining a credible nuclear deterrent.
The LGM-35A “Sentinel” intercontinental ballistic missile led by Northrop Grumman is planned to gradually replace the “Minuteman III” starting in 2029 as part of the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) program initiated by the U.S. in 2011 to ensure the country’s nuclear deterrent remains strong in the coming decades.
The statement indicates that the U.S. military plans to replace the “Minuteman III” ICBMs with the more advanced LGM-35A “Sentinel” and until fully achieving its capabilities, the Air Force is committed to ensuring the former maintains effective deterrence.
(This article referenced content from “Newsweek”)