Watch as America test launches unarmed nuclear missile

An operational test of a U.S. Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) was conducted on 5 November 2024 at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, demonstrating the system’s readiness and reliability as part of the United States’ strategic deterrent.

The unarmed missile launch, part of a regular programme of tests, involved coordination between the U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) and U.S. Navy personnel, with the launch executed via the Airborne Launch Control System aboard a Navy E-6B Mercury aircraft.

An operational test of a U.S. Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) was conducted on 5 November 2024 at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. pic.twitter.com/YCL81Csv4k

— UK Defence Journal (@UKDefJournal) November 7, 2024

The test included the missile’s reentry vehicle travelling approximately 4,200 miles to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, where telemetry and radar systems collected data for performance assessment. Lt. Col. Casel Rumfelt, range director at the test site, highlighted the importance of such data, stating, “This range and testing facilitate America’s technical advantage on the global stage.”

Conducted as part of routine procedures, this ICBM test validates the operational capability and strategic readiness of the Minuteman III fleet, ensuring its continued role in U.S. national security. General Thomas A. Bussiere, commander of AFGSC, remarked, “These tests are demonstrative of what Striker Airmen bring to the fight if called by the president,” underscoring the missile’s deterrent role and reliability.

As the U.S. prepares to introduce the LG-35A Sentinel ICBM, expected to achieve initial capability by 2029, these tests continue to confirm the Minuteman III’s viability. AFGSC, headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, oversees the US ICBM fleet, strategic bomber force, and related defence responsibilities, remaining central to the U.S. nuclear enterprise.

While the Sentinel ICBM will ultimately replace the Minuteman III, ongoing launches of the latter ensure continuity in deterrence capabilities. The data gathered from these tests supports ongoing force readiness and informs the development of the new system, they add.