The U.S. Air Force has successfully test-fired the intercontinental ballistic missile Minuteman III to evaluate the reliability and accuracy of the U.S. intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) system.

The test launch of the Minuteman III took place on 5 November from the Vandenberg Space Force base in California. The launch was organized by the Air Force through the Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC), with the participation of soldiers from the 625th Strategic Operations Squadron, who used the Air Launch Control System from a E-6B Mercury aircraft of the US Navy.

Lt. Col. Carrie Ray, head of the 576th Flight Test Wing, explained that the launch was not just a routine test, but a comprehensive evaluation to confirm the ICBM system’s ability to perform its critical mission. “The data collected during this test is invaluable to ensure the continued reliability and accuracy of the ICBM system, said Ray.

The launch took place at the Western Test Range test site at the Vandenberg base, which is the center for testing these systems.

According to the briefing, the launch was important not only for evaluating the system, but also for enhancing the US deterrence strategy, with the missile travelling about 4,200 miles (6,760 kilometres) and arriving at the Ronald Reagan Test Center in the Kwajalein Atoll region of the Marshall Islands. During the final phase of the flight, the Reagan Test Site team, using advanced sensors and telemetry, collected data to evaluate the system’s performance.