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5h ago

US Successfully Launches Minuteman III Missile in Routine Nuclear Deterrence Test

The unarmed missile traveled 4,200 miles from California to the Marshall Islands, reaffirming readiness as the U.S. prepares to transition to the Sentinel ICBM system.

An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launches at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on May 21, 2025.
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An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile test fired from California early Tuesday.
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Overview

  • The U.S. Air Force conducted a routine test of the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile, launching it from Vandenberg Space Force Base at 12:01 a.m. on May 21, 2025.
  • Equipped with an unarmed Mark-21 reentry vehicle, the missile traveled approximately 4,200 miles to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.
  • The test, part of over 300 similar evaluations since the 1970s, underscores the operational readiness of the Minuteman III as a critical component of the U.S. nuclear triad.
  • The Air Force confirmed that the launch was not a response to global events, with Moscow notified in advance under bilateral agreements and the Hague Code of Conduct.
  • Efforts to replace the aging Minuteman III with the next-generation Sentinel system are ongoing, with full operational capability expected by 2029.