Unarmed intercontinental ballistic missile launched from Vandenberg SFB Wednesday ...Middle East

VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE, Calif. – An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile was launched at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday as part of a test of the nation's nuclear launch capabilities.

According to Vandenberg Space Force Base, the test launch was a demonstration of a Minuteman III, an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in service in the United State's nuclear arsenal since the late 1970s.

The up to 400 Minuteman III missiles that make up the ground-based nuclear deterrence infrastructure is part of a trio of launch platforms that, "underwrites every U.S. military operation on the globe—it is the backstop and foundation of our national defense and that of our allies," detailed the U.S. Air Force's Nuclear Weapons Center.

The Western Test Range at Vandenberg Space Force Base is the primary testing ground for the current nuclear response architecture and routinely supports tests such as the one early Wednesday.

"This ICBM test launch underscores the strength of the nation's nuclear deterrent and the readiness of the ICBM leg of the triad," said General Thomas Bussiere, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command. "This powerful safeguard is maintained by dedicated Airmen –missileers, defenders, helicopter operators and the teams who supports them– who ensure the security of the nation and its allies."

The unarmed ICBM launched Wednesday was equipped with a single Mark-21 High Fidelity Re-Entry Vehicle that traveled about 4,200 miles to the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command's Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at the Kwajalein Atoll within the Republic of Micronesia.

The intercontinental ballistic missile test launch details were transmitted to the government of the Russian Federation in accordance with existing bilateral diplomatic obligations and a pre-launch notification was issued pursuant to the Hague Code of Conduct for such launches explained Vandenberg Space Force Base.

If launched operationally, the Mark-21 would have carried a nuclear payload.

"Minuteman III remains the bedrock of our nation's strategic deterrent and the unwavering dedication of the Airmen who ensure its readiness are a testament to its inherent lethality," said Colonel Dustin Harmon, Commander of Vandenberg Space Force Base's 377th Test and Evaluation Group. "Their expertise and commitment are vital to maintaining this credible force for peace. As we look to the future, these same Airmen are paving the way for the Sentinel ICBM, ensuring a seamless transition to this next-generation capability and the continued security of our nation."

Sensors and radars at the Reagan Test Site collected telemetry data from the test flight that is used to support the development and evaluation of defense platforms and programs shared Vandenberg Space Force Base in a press release Wednesday.

"Reagan Test Site is an indispensable national asset, uniquely equipped to support critical tests of our nation's offensive and defensive systems, including all Glory Trip missions [nuclear readiness tests]," said Army Lieutenant Colonel Casey Rumfelt, RTS range director. "Its specialized instrumentation and strategic location are unmatched globally, ensuring the effectiveness of our nation’s strategic deterrent."

Vandenberg's 377th Test and Evaluation Group, which oversaw the launch and associated data collection, is the nation's only dedicated ICBM test organization performing tests that accurately measure the current and potential capabilities of the ICBM force shared Vandenberg Space Force Base.

In March of this year, Your News Channel reported that Vandenberg Space Force Base was beginning the process to replace the aging Minuteman III platform with the new Northrup Grumman-developed LGM-35A Sentinel.

The United States's ICBM force has remained on a continuous alert since 1959 and the Air Force's Sentinel Deployment and Minuteman III Decommissioning and Disposal Project Environmental Permitting and Compliance project aims to replace all land-based Minuteman III ICBMs - first entering operation in the early 1970s - with Sentinel ICBMs shared the Air Force's Nuclear Weapons Center.

Unarmed intercontinental ballistic missile launched from Vandenberg SFB Wednesday News Channel 3-12.

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