Late Tuesday night, March 3, the U.S. military launched an unarmed LGM-30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile equipped with two test reentry vehicles, in what officials described as a routine exercise unrelated to current global tensions.
The missile lifted off at approximately 11:01 p.m. PT from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The test, designated “GT 255,” had been scheduled years in advance, officials said.
“This test is not a response to world events,” the Air Force said in a statement. “It is a key component of a data-driven program that has been underway for decades, with more than 300 similar tests conducted to validate the performance of the weapon system.”
Lt. Col. Karrie Wray, commander of the 576th Flight Test Squadron, said GT 255 allowed officials to evaluate the performance of each component of the missile system and identify opportunities to enhance the overall readiness of the nation’s intercontinental ballistic missile fleet.
You might be interested in: U.S. Submarine Sinks Iranian Warship in Indian Ocean
The test assessed not only the missile itself but also the multiple reentry vehicles designed to increase effectiveness and ensure the system can penetrate adversary defenses. During the exercise, the two reentry vehicles traveled thousands of miles to a predetermined target at the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.
“It is essential that we test every aspect of our intercontinental ballistic missile force, including our ability to launch multiple independently targeted payloads with absolute precision,” said Gen. Thomas A. Bussiere, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command. “This test validates the intricate synchronization of the weapon system, from the initial launch sequence to the flawless deployment of each reentry vehicle.”
Officials said the launch followed months of preparation involving multiple government partners. Airmen from the 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota provided direct maintenance support, while operators from all three missile wings participated in initiating the launch.
Although the Minuteman III remains on alert, it is slated to be replaced by the next-generation LGM-35A Sentinel, which is intended to modernize the land-based leg of the U.S. nuclear triad.
