The US Air Force launched a nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to anywhere on Earth Wednesday morning — as part of a regular test of the country’s doomsday missiles.
The Minuteman III missile was unarmed when it launched from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, the military said.
The missile traveled 15,000 miles per hour to a test site in the Marshall Islands 4,200 miles away, officials said.
🇺🇸 U.S. TESTS NUCLEAR-READY MINUTEMAN III IN FIERY SHOW OF FORCE
A Cold War relic just roared back to life.
The Air Force launched an unarmed Minuteman III ICBM from California at 15,000 mph, slamming into the Marshall Islands in a reminder that America’s nuclear triad is… https://t.co/UOnFrUSA8r pic.twitter.com/lDCFYokopV
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) May 22, 2025
The Minuteman is a 1970-era program that the Air Force plans to replace with the Sentinel system — but that program has been plagued by cutbacks and delays.
Thus, Wednesday’s launch came with a message: America’s nuclear deterrent is still ready.
“This ICBM test launch underscores the strength of the nation’s nuclear deterrent and the readiness of the ICBM leg of the triad,” Gen. Thomas Bussiere,