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U.S. Test-Launches Unarmed Minuteman III From Vandenberg in Routine ICBM Check

Officials described the preplanned event as a readiness assessment tied to the transition to the LGM-35A Sentinel.

Overview

  • The launch, designated GT 254, was executed by Air Force Global Strike Command and initiated via the Airborne Launch Control System from a U.S. Navy E-6B.
  • The test reentry vehicle flew roughly 4,200 miles to the Ronald Reagan Test Site at Kwajalein Atoll, where sensors captured telemetry and signature data.
  • AFGSC said the event was scheduled months to years in advance and is part of several ICBM tests conducted each year from Vandenberg.
  • Pre-launch notifications were transmitted to Russia and filed under the Hague Code of Conduct in line with transparency commitments.
  • The flight drew added attention after President Trump called for resuming nuclear weapons testing, even as officials stressed the long-planned, non-nuclear nature of the exercise.