Air Force launches Minuteman ICBM as part of safety test, officials say

The Air Force launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile overnight as part of a test to confirm the safety and reliability of the nation’s nuclear deterrent forces, Air Force Global Strike Command officials said Tuesday.

The ICBM launched shortly before 1 a.m. Pacific Time from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. Air Force officials said that similar reliability tests have occurred more than 300 times and the event was not the result of current world events.

The ICBM’s single reentry vehicle traveled about 4,200 miles to the U.S. Army’s Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Analysts collected radar, optical and telemetry data in the final phase of the flight to evaluate the system’s performance.

Gen. Thomas A. Bussiere, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, said the nuclear missions are the “bedrock” of the nation’s defense and international security.

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Air Force launches Minuteman ICBM as part of safety test, officials say

The Air Force launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile overnight as part of a test to confirm the safety and reliability of the nation’s nuclear deterrent forces, Air Force Global Strike Command officials said Tuesday.

www.washingtontimes.com

 

[Margery]

Air Force officials said that similar reliability tests have occurred more than 300 times and the event was not the result of current world events.

But does Russia believe that? I know I don’t. It’s sabre rattling and things are tense. Why pour gasoline on a smouldering fire? Unless you want to escalate.

I prefer Trumps style. Remain friendly, serve tea and dessert to Xi of China with a short pause to launch missiles onto Syrian airbases, then back to being the warm friendly genial host at the White House. Which scared the daylights out of Russia, China and the entire Middle East.

Between dinner, diplomacy and dessert.

No warning beyond the very first one. No sabre rattling, no escalation.

Smile brightly at your guests, and launch missiles then go back to dessert and small talk.

No more missiles required, lives spared, enemies sorted out and time for dessert!

THATS WHAT IS NEEDED!

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

Reminds me of the news during the days of Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD)

Duck and cover!!!

 

[Tall Timbers]

But does Russia believe that?

Yes, they do. We announce it to Russia in advance and they're also likely collecting telemetry, etc. of the event. Russia probably tests theirs much more often than the US does, and it truly is routine. Russia gives us a launch window for their tests as well.

 

[Andy C]

Reminds me of the news during the days of Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD)

Duck and cover!!!

Yes, school children seeking safety under their nuke bomb resistant desks…..

 

[Tall Timbers]

Yes, school children seeking safety under their nuke bomb resistant desks…..

Those were the good old days.

 

[mattfivefour]

I remember them well.

 

[Margery]

Just listened to an interesting YouTube podcast chat between Pablo Frascini of Serpents and Doves with Retired Col Jeffry Butter Is America Unleashing The Power of Russia The Bear? of the US Marines. He flew Harriers. He's discussing the current round of sabre rattling (not just the icbm tests) as part of the whole picture between Russia and the West.

Earlier on he let drop an interesting comment about the Bunker Buster Bombs. Israel has specially fitted F16's? that can carry them and there is a problem right now getting the factory up to speed to replenish supplies and meet the demand. They didn't spend time on that but it came up when they were talking about how Ukraine has been draining the supply of US weapons.

He and Pablo go into the background of Zelensky and Ukraine, how things got to where we are today and world situation.

He's a Christian, definitely believes similar to us here (Pablo too for that matter) but it was interesting hearing his take on the slow moving train wreck in Eastern Europe/Southern Russia.

To summarize his take- Ret.Col.Butter figures that the constant poking of the Bear that we've all commented on is playing into getting Russia ready for Gog Magog. Very very interesting podcast.