US Space Force tests Minuteman III ICBM
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The US launched an unarmed Minuteman III ICBM from Vandenberg Base, demonstrating its nuclear deterrent with a 4,200-mile test flight to Kwajalein.
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In this photo released by the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, an unarmed Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missile launches during an operational test at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021 (AP)
The US military successfully tested an unarmed Minuteman III ICBM on Wednesday, according to Vandenberg Space Force Base.
"A joint team of Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile equipped with a single Mark-21 High Fidelity Re-Entry Vehicle May 21 at 12:01 am Pacific Time from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California," the Vandenberg base statement said.
"The launch was part of routine, periodic activities to demonstrate the US nuclear deterrent's safety, security, reliability, and effectiveness in deterring threats," it added.
Vandenberg Space Force Base stated that the ICBM's reentry vehicle traveled roughly 4,200 miles to the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, landing at the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site. The statement noted that the US military will use test data to assess America's defense program capabilities.
Previously on May 25, the United States unveiled "Dark Eagle", the official designation for its newest hypersonic missile system, following a successful test-launch at a military site late in 2024.
"The US Army announced 'Dark Eagle' as the popular name for the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon following the system's successful end-to-end flight test of the common All-Up Round last December," the Pentagon announced in a statement.
Hypersonic world stage
Hypersonic weapons travel at Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound, well over 3,000 miles per hour, and, unlike ballistic missiles, are maneuverable, making them nearly impossible to intercept in flight. They also create extremely high temperatures, necessitating the use of sophisticated ceramics and other difficult-to-design and build exotic materials.
