The United States fired a Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) on Wednesday, just days after President Donald Trump urged the military to restart nuclear weapons testing for the first time in over 30 years.The unarmed nuclear-capable missile was launched by the Air Force Global Strike Command from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, reports the New York Post. Officials said the test was codenamed GT 254 and went off successfully. The rocket travelled thousands of miles before landing near the Army’s Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site in the Marshall Islands.US Air Force confirmed that the launch had been scheduled months in advance, but it has drawn increased attention following Trump’s order last week directing the Pentagon to prepare for renewed nuclear weapons tests.The Minuteman III is part of America’s Cold War-era nuclear deterrent system, one of three legs of the so-called “nuclear triad” that also includes submarine-launched and air-delivered nuclear weapons. It is designed to be launched only in retaliation for a nuclear attack.In May, another ICBM test was conducted successfully. The missile was unarmed when launched from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base, USAF said in a statement.
Capabilities of the Minuteman III
Travelling at nearly 15,000 miles per hour, the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile is capable of covering about 4,200 miles across the Pacific Ocean, underscoring its long-range strike capability.Each Minuteman III missile can carry multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRVs), capable of striking separate targets with high precision. Over the decades, the system has undergone extensive modernisation, including updated guidance and propulsion systems to extend its operational life.The US Air Force plans to gradually replace the Minuteman III with the LGM-35A Sentinel, a next-generation ICBM designed to enhance both range and cyber resilience. Until the transition is complete, the Minuteman III continues to serve as the backbone of America’s strategic deterrence — a Cold War-era weapon still central to 21st-century defence strategy.First deployed in the 1970s, the Minuteman III remains a key element of the United States’ land-based nuclear arsenal.
A renewed debate
Donald Trump’s recent call to restart live nuclear weapons testing has reignited debate over US nuclear policy and arms control. Critics from both party wings say returning to testing would undermine decades of non-proliferation efforts and spark a new arms race, while supporters insist it is necessary to verify the reliability and strength of America’s ageing nuclear arsenal.
