US tests 'doomsday' missile from California as conflict with Iran enters day 6: What is Minuteman III
The United States carried out a test launch of a Minuteman III, also known as the 'doomsday missile', an intercontinental ballistic missile, late Tuesday night off the California coast, at a time when tensions remain high due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The missile, capable of carrying nuclear warheads far more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base near Santa Barbara at 11 p.m.
The unarmed rocket, identified as GT 254, travelled thousands of miles across the Pacific Ocean and struck its intended test target near the Marshall Islands in the west-central Pacific, according to the US Space Force.
Test meant to check missile readiness
US military officials said the launch was conducted to evaluate the performance and reliability of the missile system.
The missile was fired to “verify the effectiveness, readiness and accuracy,” according to the Air Force Global Strike Command.
Lt. Col. Karrie Wray, commander of the 576th Flight Test Squadron, said the launch helped the military examine how different parts of the system function during operations.
“[It] allowed us to assess the performance of individual components of the missile system,” Wray said in a press release.
“By continually assessing varying mission profiles, we are able to enhance the performance of the entire [Intercontinental Ballistic Missile] fleet, ensuring the maximum level of readiness for the land-based leg of the nation’s nuclear triad.”
Test conducted during heightened global tensions
The missile test took place days after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran that killed the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, triggering a wider regional conflict.
Following the strikes, President Donald Trump warned that the United States could intensify its military actions against Iran, saying, “The big one is coming.”
Despite the timing, the Air Force Global Strike Command said Tuesday’s launch was routine and had been scheduled years in advance.
What is Minuteman III: The doomsday missile
The Minuteman III is a key component of the United States’ nuclear deterrence system, known as the nuclear triad, which includes land-based missiles, submarine-launched weapons and air-delivered nuclear bombs.
These missiles are stored in underground silos across the western United States and are designed to ensure the country can respond if it ever faces a nuclear attack.
A Minuteman III missile was also launched in November, shortly after President Trump called for restarting nuclear weapons testing.
The missile is capable of travelling about 6,000 miles at speeds exceeding 15,000 miles per hour, allowing it to strike targets across the globe within minutes.
