The United States has tested its ‘Minuteman III’ intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), also known as the ‘doomsday’ missile, just as its conflict with Iran enters its 6th day and escalates to reach international waters. The Minuteman III rocket was launched Tuesday night, March 3, from Vandenberg Space Force Base off the coast of California. The test launch was performed by two test re-entry vehicles.
The Air Force Global Strike Command said in a statement that the test was planned to be conducted years ago. Referring to America’s joint military operation against Iran, she also clarified that the test was not conducted “in response to world events.”
“This launch, designated GT 255, was planned years ago and is not a response to world events,” it said.
The strike command further added that it is “a key part of a data-driven program that has been in place for decades and includes more than 300 similar tests designed to verify the performance of a weapon system. The data collected from these routine tests is critical to the continued and future development of the force.”
Where did the rocket land?
According to AFSTRATDuring the test, two ICBM reentry vehicles traveled thousands of miles to a predetermined target on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.
“This long-range flight allows engineers and weapons experts from the 377th Test and Evaluation Group to gather invaluable data on missile accuracy and reliability and verify that every component of the ICBM’s weapon system is performing as designed,” it said.
AFSTRAT continued that “the 377 TEG then provides data collected from these test launches to a wide range of stakeholders, including the Department of War, Department of Energy, and US Strategic Command, for a comprehensive assessment of force development.”
What is Minuteman III and what can it do?
The Minuteman III is a nuclear missile equipped with one high-fidelity Mark-21 reentry vehicle.
Minuteman III or “doomsday” has a range of 6,000 miles or 9,656 kilometers. It can travel at speeds in excess of 15,000 miles or 24,140 kilometers per hour.
“Weighing 79,432 pounds and having a maximum range of roughly 6,000 miles, the ICBM is capable of 24/7/365 combat, providing a second-strike capability and the ability to be launched even when under attack,” AFSTRAT said.
According to the Hindustan Times, the Minuteman III is designed to carry nuclear warheads with an explosive power up to 20 times that of the Hiroshima atomic bomb.
An NDTV report mentioned that a doomsday missile can hit anywhere on Earth. He said it is the only “non-mobile, silo-based, land-based, nuclear-powered ballistic missile” the United States has.
