Minuteman III test missile launches from Vandenberg

A team of Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile Sept. 23 at 7:45 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

The ICBM's reentry vehicle, which contained a telemetry package used for operational testing, traveled approximately 4,200 miles to the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

Test launches verify the accuracy and reliability of the ICBM weapon system, providing valuable data to ensure a safe, secure and effective nuclear deterrent. The launch team, under the direction of the 576th Flight Test Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, included Airmen from the 91st Missile Wing, Minot AFB, North Dakota.

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