US test launches 15,000mph Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile

The US Air Force carried out a critical test launch of a nuclear-capable missile Tuesday evening, saying the mission was designed to ensure 'the maximum level of readiness.'

The Minuteman III ICBM was launched at 11.01 pm PT from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

The test took place as the US and Israel launched one of their most aggressive military operations in decades, dramatically escalating tensions with Iran and raising fears of a wider regional war.

Air Force officials stressed that the launch, designated GT 255, 'was scheduled years ago and is not in response to world events,' adding that the mission was intended to validate the performance of the weapon system.

The unarmed missile traveled at roughly 15,000 miles per hour, completing a 4,200-mile journey in about 22 minutes before reaching its target near Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean.

The test also evaluated the missile's multiple reentry vehicles, which are designed to increase effectiveness and help the weapon overcome enemy defenses.

Lt Col Karrie Wray, commander of the 576th Flight Test Squadron, said: 'GT 255 allowed us to assess the performance of individual components of the missile system.

'By continually assessing varying mission profiles, we are able to enhance the performance of the entire ICBM fleet, ensuring the maximum level of readiness for the land-based leg of the nation's nuclear triad.'

In late October 2025, President Donald Trump ordered the US military to resume nuclear weapons testing, saying the move was necessary to keep pace with alleged testing by Russia and China. 

A separate ICBM testing then took place the following month. 

The Minuteman III arsenal forms one leg of the US’s nuclear deterrent, designed to be launched only in response to a nuclear attack by an enemy nation. 

The weapon is designed to hit any target worldwide within 30 minutes after launch.

Iran is approximately 7,600 miles from California, while Russia is about 6,000 and China is around 6,300 miles.  

Trump has said repeatedly that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.

He claimed to have 'obliterated' Tehran's nuclear program in strikes last June, but said this week that the nation had attempted to rebuild it.

'Just imagine how emboldened this regime would be if they ever had and actually were armed with nuclear weapons as a means to deliver their message,' he said on Saturday. However, Iran does not have a nuclear arsenal.

America's ICBM is capable of carrying three Mk 12A nuclear warheads, each packing up to 350,000 tons of TNT, but today's test launched an unarmed missile.

The Air Force randomly chose a missile from F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming and transported it more than 1,300 miles to California. where it was reassembled.

The test launch was 'a key component of a data-driven program that has been in place for decades, involving over 300 similar tests designed to validate the performance of the weapon system,' the Air Force shared in a statement.

'The data collected from these routine tests is essential for ongoing and future force development.' 

The launch was the result of months of meticulous preparation involving multiple government partners. 

Airmen from the 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, provided direct maintenance support, while operators from across all three missile wings initiated the launch.

Gen. S.L. Davis, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, said: 'The data we gather ensures our long-range strike capabilities are not just a theoretical concept, but a proven, reliable, and lethal force, ready to defend the nation at a moment's notice.'

The ICBM is one of two missiles currently used by America. The other is submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) that are deployed from underwater submarines.

The weapon is a vital component of the US military's nuclear forces, capable of delivering a nuclear payload to targets around the world, but is scheduled to be phased out by 2029 and replaced with the LGM-35A Sentinel ICBM.

The US Air Force said that 'the Sentinel weapon system is the most cost-effective option for maintaining a safe, secure, and effective land-based leg of the nuclear triad and would extend its capabilities through 2075.'

The ICBM is one of two missiles currently used by America. The other is submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) that are deployed from underwater submarines.

The weapon is a vital component of the US military's nuclear forces, capable of delivering a nuclear payload to targets around the world, but is scheduled to be phased out by 2029 and replaced with the LGM-35A Sentinel ICBM.

The US Air Force said that 'the Sentinel weapon system is the most cost-effective option for maintaining a safe, secure, and effective land-based leg of the nuclear triad and would extend its capabilities through 2075.'