The U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command test-fired an unwarheaded "Minuteman 3" intercontinental ballistic missile from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on the 5th. According to an announcement issued by the U.S. Air Force, the operator initiated the test launch through the airborne launch control system on the E-6B military aircraft. The missile reentry vehicle flew approximately 4,200 miles (approximately 6,759 kilometers) to a U.S. military test site in the Marshall Islands.
△In August 2020, the US military launched the "Minuteman 3" intercontinental ballistic missile. (data map)
The announcement stated that this test launch was intended to evaluate the reliability and operational readiness level of the "Minuteman 3" intercontinental ballistic missile system.
According to US media reports, the "Minuteman 3" intercontinental ballistic missile was installed in the US military in the 1970s. There are currently about 400 missiles of this type in active service in the US.