A test launch involving an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM, equipped with a reentry vehicle was conducted on June 4.
The ICBM took off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California and its reentry vehicle flew to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site on the U.S. Army Garrison-Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, over 4,000 miles away, according to an article posted Tuesday on the U.S. Air Force website.
The test was carried out by airmen from Air Force Global Strike Command with support from U.S. Space Force guardians. AFGSC commander Gen. Thomas Bussiere said the test sought to demonstrate the safety, effectiveness and readiness of the strategic deterrence capability of the U.S.
Various sensors were used to monitor the performance of the ICBM during the test.
The Air Force seeks to ensure the viability of the Minuteman ICBM until its successor, the LG-35A Sentinel, achieves full capability in the mid-2030s.
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