US Carries Out Test Of Unarmed Minuteman III ICBM, Soon To Be Replaced By The LG-35A Sentinel
The missile flew 4,200 miles in distance from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The LG-35A Sentinel will be replacing the Minuteman III ICBM with an initial capability target date of 2029
US SPACE/AIR FORCE - The United States has completed an unarmed test of the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile equipped with multiple targetable re-entry vehicles intended to "demonstrate that the United States’ nuclear deterrent is safe, secure, reliable and effective to deter 21st century threats and reassure our allies".
The missile flew 4,200 miles in distance from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, to a test site located in the Marshall Islands.
The LG-35A Sentinel will be replacing the Minuteman III ICBM with an initial capability target date of 2029. "Until full capability is achieved in the mid-2030s, the Air Force is committed to ensuring Minuteman III remains a viable deterrent," according to the U.S. Space Force.
U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC), and LTC Casey Rumfelt, Army SMDC RTS Range director said of the launch, “This range and testing facilitate America’s technical advantage on the global stage. Our team brings decades of experience and a level of professionalism that makes the impossible seem easy in a no-fail environment. I couldn’t be prouder of this incredible team.”