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A Minuteman III ICBM has been launched by the US Space Force less than a week after a Chinese spy balloon was shot down after it floated over a sensitive nuclear site in Montana.
The unarmed missile, fitted with a test reentry vehicle, was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara, California, at 11:01 p.m. Thursday night.
Stunning photos from the launch showed the missile cut a huge bright arc in the night sky.
Officials said the launch was a routine test to “validate and verify the effectiveness, readiness and accuracy of the weapons system.” A statement also said the launch was “not a result of current world events.”
The test comes amid heightened tensions with China after a Beijing spy balloon discovered hovering over the United States triggered a diplomatic crisis. US intelligence agencies believe the balloon, which passed over a sensitive military base in Montana, was “probably capable of collecting” and targeting US “communications”.
Stunning photos from the launch showed the missile cut a huge bright arc in the night sky.
The unarmed missile, fitted with a test reentry vehicle, was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara, California, at 11:01 p.m. Thursday night.
Colonel Christopher Cruise, commander of the 377th Test and Evaluation Group, said: “This launch shows the redundancy and reliability of our strategic deterrence systems while sending a visible message of security to allies.”
A statement from the US Air Force Global Strike Command said: “This test launch is part of routine and periodic activities designed to demonstrate that the United States nuclear deterrent is safe, reliable, and effective for deter 21st century threats and reassure our allies
“Such tests have occurred more than 300 times before, and this test is not the result of current world events.”
The United States is considering taking “action” against China for what it calls a violation of US sovereignty. US intelligence uncovered a vast Beijing surveillance network that has spanned 40 countries and five continents, according to the State Department.
Gen. Thomas A. Bussiere, commander of the Air Force Global Strike Command, said Thursday night’s ICBM test “shows the heart of our deterrence mission on the world stage, assuring our nation and its allies that our weapons are capable and that our airmen are ready and willing.” to defend peace throughout the world at any time.
The ICBM reentry vehicle traveled approximately 4,200 miles to Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, a route regularly used for test launches.
The officials said the test launches verify the accuracy and reliability of the ICBM weapon system, providing data to ensure a continued, safe and effective nuclear deterrent.
Colonel Christopher Cruise, commander of the 377th Test and Evaluation Group, said: “This launch shows the redundancy and reliability of our strategic deterrence systems while sending a visible message of security to allies.”
“This multilateral team reflects the precision and professionalism of our command and our joint partners.”
The ICBM reentry vehicle traveled approximately 4,200 miles to Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, a route regularly used for test launches.
The missile was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara, California.
Missile bases within Air Fore Global Strike Command have crew members standing by 24 hours a day, year-round, monitoring the nation’s ICBM warning forces.
The Minuteman III is a vital part of the US military’s strategic arsenal.
The nuclear-capable missile has a range of more than 6,000 and can travel at speeds of up to 15,000 miles per hour.
Development of the original Minuteman began in the 1950s and took its name from the colonial Minutemen of the American Revolutionary War, who were ready to fight on short notice.
The recent Chinese balloon incident was linked by US intelligence to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), China’s main military force. The balloon had ‘multiple antennas’ and was ‘probably capable of collecting and geolocating communications’.
The Minuteman III is a vital part of the US military’s strategic arsenal. The nuclear-capable missile has a range of more than 6,000 and can travel at speeds of up to 15,000 miles per hour.
“It was equipped with solar panels large enough to produce the power needed to operate multiple active intelligence-gathering sensors,” an official said.
The United States said it would “explore action against [Chinese government] PLA-linked entities that supported the balloon’s incursion into US airspace.’
Air Force jets shot down the balloon, sparking public outrage over Beijing’s spy tactics, off the coast of South Carolina on Saturday.
It was first detected crossing the US territory on January 28, briefly passing over Canada, and then traversing several continental US states before being shot down on February 4.
President Joe Biden gave the order to bring it down on Wednesday of last week, but defense officials warned that it would be safer to do so when the falling debris no longer posed a risk to Americans on the ground.
The State Department said shooting down the balloon “sent a clear message to [China] that their violation of our sovereignty was unacceptable.’