The U.S. Defense Department said it would conduct a new test of an intercontinental ballistic missile early Wednesday morning, in an unusual advance warning from Washington aimed at preventing an escalation of tensions with Russia amid the ongoing war. In Ukraine.
“I want to highlight some of the operations … an operational test launch of a Minuteman 3 ICBM will take place from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California,” Pentagon spokesman Gen. Pat Ryder said at a press conference.
And the Minuteman 3 is an intercontinental ballistic missile with a warhead capable of carrying a nuclear bomb, and the latest test was conducted in mid-August after being delayed twice.
“This is a routine test, it was pre-planned,” Ryder added.
He emphasized that the launch of “My Minute 3” aims to check the efficiency and readiness of this system, “to show the readiness of the US nuclear force and to ensure the security and effectiveness of this country’s nuclear deterrence”.
The US usually does not announce its ICBM tests in advance.
But the spokesman said: “The United States has notified the Russian government in advance according to the Hague Code of Conduct and according to treaty obligations.”
The first test of the missile was originally planned for March, but the US Air Force postponed it after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, after Washington feared that Moscow would use it as a pretext to escalate the conflict. Postponed to early August. to other countries
The test was postponed for the second time since House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, an island that Beijing wants to restore, in early August.
Finally, the test was successfully conducted on August 16.
The Minuteman 3, which entered service 50 years ago, has been the only surface-to-surface missile in the US nuclear arsenal since 2005.
The launch silos of this missile are located in three US military bases (Wyoming, North Dakota and Montana).
As for other American missiles that are capable of carrying nuclear bombs, we should say that these missiles are of the “Trident” type, which are launched from the sea and are located on submarines, while American strategic bombers can launch nuclear bombs.
Source: Lebanon Debate
