United States conducted test launch of
Nuclear-Capable Minuteman III Missile
¨
United States conducted
test launch of Nuclear-Capable Minuteman III Missile.
¨
A test launch of the
nuclear-capable LGM-30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile
(ICBM), often referred to as a "doomsday missile," has been conducted
by the United States off the California coast.
¨
The missile was launched
from the Vandenberg Space Force Base near Santa Barbara by the Air Force Global
Strike Command on March 3.
¨
The test was described by
officials as a routine launch scheduled years in advance to verify the
effectiveness and reliability of the United States’ nuclear deterrent system.
¨
During the test, the
missile designated GT-254 carried two test re-entry vehicles and travelled
across the Pacific Ocean.
¨
The launch was carried
out to assess the performance of individual missile components and strengthen
the readiness of the land-based nuclear deterrent.
¨
According to officials,
the test also evaluated the functioning of multiple re-entry vehicles, which
enhance missile effectiveness and help overcome enemy defence systems.
¨
The Minuteman III missile
forms a crucial part of the United States’ nuclear triad, which enables the
launch of nuclear weapons from land, sea and air.
¨
These missiles are stored
in underground silos across the American West and primarily serve as a
deterrent against potential nuclear attacks.
¨ The Minuteman III is capable of travelling up to 6,000 miles at speeds exceeding 15,000 miles per hour, allowing it to strike targets across the globe rapidly.
¨ The missile can carry nuclear warheads estimated to be up to 20 times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945, highlighting its strategic significance.
