❓WHAT HAPPENED: The United States Air Force is preparing to launch a hypersonic missile as part of a routine test of the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) system.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The U.S. Air Force, President Donald J. Trump, Russia, and China.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Scheduled between 11 PM PT Wednesday and 5 AM PT Thursday from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, with a flight to a test range near Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Russia’s testing and China’s testing, but they don’t talk about it. They don’t have reporters that are going to be writing about it, we do.” — Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: The test underscores the importance of maintaining the U.S. nuclear deterrent while highlighting ongoing international concerns over nuclear testing by American adversaries.

The U.S. Air Force is set to launch an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in a test designed to evaluate the hypersonic weapon system’s effectiveness, readiness, and accuracy. The missile will be launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, traveling 4,200 miles to a test range near Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. The flight is expected to take approximately 22 minutes.

This routine exercise, planned years in advance, involves the selection of a missile at random, typically from F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming. The Minuteman III ICBM, which is capable of carrying three Mk 12A nuclear warheads, remains a critical component of the U.S. military’s nuclear arsenal. However, it is scheduled to be replaced by the LGM-35A Sentinel ICBM by 2029.

The U.S. Air Force operates 400 silo-based Minuteman III ICBMs, with an additional 50 silos kept on standby. These are managed across three wings: the 90th Missile Wing in Wyoming, the 91st Missile Wing in North Dakota, and the 341st Missile Wing in Montana. Each wing is further divided into squadrons, collectively controlling hundreds of silos and launch centers.

President Donald J. Trump recently highlighted concerns about possible renewed nuclear testing by Russia and China, stating, “Russia’s testing and China’s testing, but they don’t talk about it. They don’t have reporters that are going to be writing about it, we do.” His comments come amid broader discussions of nuclear deterrence and modernization efforts, with the U.S. committed to ensuring the Minuteman III remains viable until the Sentinel system is fully operational in the mid-2030s.

The test also follows claims by Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding new nuclear-powered weapons tests. Controversially, Russia has allegedly launched a new class of nuclear submarine capable of carrying six nuclear-powered torpedoes, which themselves are armed with a nuclear warhead. These nuclear torpedoes are capable of traversing the Earth’s oceans for an undefined period before striking their target. However, it is not clear whether the Russian nuclear torpedo is actually functional or capable of what Putin has claimed.

Image by Spencer.

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