“The Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) launched an unarmed Minuteman III ICBM from Vandenberg Base on November 5 under the test code GT254. The purpose of the launch was to assess the reliability, readiness, and accuracy of the ICBM, one of the key pillars of national defense capability,” the U.S. Air Force said.

A U.S. Navy E-6B Mercury aircraft, also known as the “Doomsday Plane,” issued the launch command to evaluate the operational capability of the Airborne Launch Control System, the backup command system for the Air Force’s ICBM force.

The mock warhead traveled approximately 6,720 km, striking its target area at the Kwajalein Atoll test range in the Marshall Islands. A network of sensors collected radar, optical, and terminal-phase data to evaluate the missile’s performance.

The Minuteman III launch came just days after President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to “immediately prepare to resume nuclear weapons testing.” However, U.S. officials emphasized that the event had been planned months in advance and was unrelated to recent developments.

“This launch is part of routine, periodic activities to evaluate and verify the capability of the Minuteman III system. It follows the strictest safety protocols and allows for the collection of valuable data,” the AFGSC said.

The LGM-30G Minuteman III has a range of 14,000 km, a maximum speed of 28,200 km/h, and weighs over 36 tons. It features three solid-fuel stages and can carry either a W78 thermonuclear warhead (335–350 kilotons) or a W87 warhead (300–475 kilotons). Each missile costs about $7 million.

The U.S. currently maintains around 400 Minuteman III missiles in 450 launch silos located across Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, Colorado, and Nebraska. These missiles, over 50 years old, are nearing the end of their service life. The Air Force regularly conducts test launches to ensure their safety and operational integrity.

The Air Force plans to replace the Minuteman III with the LGM-35A Sentinel in the 2030s. However, the Sentinel program faces major challenges, with projected costs more than doubling—from $77.7 billion to $160 billion. The Air Force will also need to construct new silos for the Sentinel rather than reusing existing Minuteman III infrastructure as initially planned.

For now, the Minuteman III remains one of the three key pillars of America’s strategic nuclear deterrent force.