The United States has carried out a test launch of its intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Minuteman III, often referred to as the “doomsday missile”, even as tensions remain high during the ongoing conflict with Iran.
The missile was launched late Tuesday, 3rd March, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, according to the US Air Force Global Strike Command.
The United States conducted a test launch of its nuclear-capable LGM-30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), often referred to as a "doomsday missile"
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The missile used for the launch was unarmed and carried two test re-entry vehicles. The vehicles travelled thousands of miles before reaching a predetermined target near the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.
The Air Force clarified that the launch has been planned over the years and has nothing to do with the current global events or the war with Iran. In an official statement, the command said that the exercise has been a part of a long-running programme designed to check the performance and reliability of the missile system.
As per the statement, over 300 such tests have been carried out over the years. Data gathered from these routine launches helps engineers and weapons specialists study how accurately the missile performs and whether all parts of the system are working properly.
Experts from the 377th Test and Evaluation Group observed the flight and gathered data regarding the guidance, accuracy, and dependability of the missile during the long-range test.
The results will be used to upgrade and develop the US strategic missile forces in the future. The US has already carried out a similar Minuteman III missile test in November last year
What Is the Minuteman III?
The LGM-30G Minuteman III is a land-based intercontinental ballistic missile that forms a key part of the United States’ nuclear triad, which includes land-based missiles, submarine-launched missiles and strategic bombers.
First deployed in 1970, the Minuteman III is currently controlled by the Air Force Global Strike Command, headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. Around 400 Minuteman III missiles are deployed across US military bases in Montana, North Dakota and Wyoming.
The missile has a range of about 13,000 kilometres (around 6,000 miles) and is capable of travelling at speeds of over 15,000 miles per hour, making it capable of reaching anywhere on Earth.
The Minuteman III missile is designed to carry nuclear warheads that can be far more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. The older versions of the missile could carry three different warheads that could target different places.
However, under a nuclear arms reduction treaty between the US and Russia, each missile is currently equipped with only one warhead.
Because of its nuclear capability and long range, the missile is called the “doomsday missile”. Experts have stated that if these weapons were ever used in large numbers, the radioactive fallout could make large parts of the planet uninhabitable.
