Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Israeli Channel 12: Shipping giant Maersk announces stop of shipping to Haifa Port on account of Iranian missiles.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: 25 martyrs, more than 120 injured by Israeli occupation fire targeting aid seekers at Netzarim Axis, Gaza.
Iran's Nour News: Ali Shamkhani, advisor to Iran's Leader, in letter to Sayyed Khamenei: I am alive and ready to sacrifice my life; the day of victory draws near.
Iranian Red Crescent: Five Iranian hospitals damaged in Israeli aggression.
Russia: Peskov: If the United States launches a strike against Iran, Moscow will consider this move a mistake because it will lead to a major escalation of the situation
Russia: Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov: The Middle East is falling into the chaos of war, and this does not bring any good to Russia and is dangerous
Israeli media: 18 settlers were injured in the latest Iranian strike, according to preliminary reports
Israeli media: The Iranian missile impacted an area near the headquarters of Microsoft in Bir al-Sabee'
Israeli media: Sirens sounding in al-Naqab following missile launches from Iran
Israeli Home Front Command: Missiles detected launched from Iran toward al-Naqab

US Space Force tests Minuteman III ICBM

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 21 May 2025 16:52
3 Min Read

The US launched an unarmed Minuteman III ICBM from Vandenberg Base, demonstrating its nuclear deterrent with a 4,200-mile test flight to Kwajalein.

Listen
  • x
  • In this photo released by the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, an unarmed Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missile launches during an operation test at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021 (AP)
    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.

Related News

OpenAI lands $200mln US defense contract for AI government tools

Hegseth compares himself to 'warriors', refuses to back down

"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.

The National Interest highlighted in 2023 the weakness of the US in developing offensive hypersonic weapons, as well as in confronting them.

According to the outlet, the United States urgently needs to develop and deploy both offensive and defensive hypersonic weapons capabilities, because it is falling behind as China and Russia have both tested and deployed hypersonic missiles.

Existing US missile defense systems are not yet capable of shooting down adversaries' hypersonic weapons, leaving the US highly vulnerable at this time, NI wrote.

It is noteworthy that Washington conducted three “failed” hypersonic missile tests in 2021, according to Defense News.

In a 2023 study, the US Congressional Budget Office admitted that numerous test failures in recent years had slowed the country's progress toward producing new weapons.

  • US department of Defense
  • United States
  • Minuteman III ICBM
  • US Space Force
  • intercontinental ballistic missile

Most Read

Iranian missiles impact Israeli sites in Tel Aviv in 2nd wave

Iran's missiles impact 'strategic' Israeli site in Tel Aviv

  • Politics
  • 14 Jun 2025
Bin Salman: Islamic world backs Iran in call to Pezeshkian

MBS says Islamic world backs Iran in call with Pezeshkian

  • MENA
  • 15 Jun 2025
Iran launches 9th wave of Op. True Promise 3, destroys IOF air defense

Iran launches 9th wave of Op. True Promise 3, destroys IOF air defense

  • MENA
  • 17 Jun 2025
Smoke rises after an Iranian ballistic missile directly struck Tel Aviv, Occupied Palestine, June 13, 2025 (AP)

Op. True Promise 3: Iran's ballistic missiles strike Tel Aviv

  • MENA
  • 13 Jun 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Netanyahu stuns by postponing son’s wedding over Iran war
Politics

Netanyahu sparks outrage citing son’s wedding delay as Iran war cost

French court postpones verdict to July 17 on Georges Abdallah
Europe

French court postpones verdict on Georges Abdallah to July 17

Perseverance to shorten war: Iran's Larijani
Politics

Larijani says Iran to hold IAEA chief accountable after war ends

Damage to the Weizmann Institute of Science from an Iranian missile strike in Rehovot, Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)
Politics

'Catastrophic loss': Iranian blow to Weizmann’s war-linked facilities

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS