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What is the Minuteman III? US tests 'doomsday' missile as war with Iran escalates
This test launch off the coast of California comes as the US finds itself in the midst of a war with the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The United States military conducted a test launch for its intercontinental ballistic missile, Minuteman III, on Tuesday night. As per a statement from the Air Force Global Strike Command, the test launch was successful and was done to assess the performance of the missile system.
This test launch off the coast of California comes as the US finds itself in the midst of a war with the Islamic Republic of Iran. However, as per the US Air Force, this test was not a response to the current situation.
Track LIVE updates on the US-Iran conflict here
"This launch, designated GT 255, was scheduled years ago and is not in response to world events. It is a key component of a data-driven program that has been in place for decades, involving over 300 similar tests designed to validate the performance of the weapon system. The data collected from these routine tests is essential for ongoing and future force development," read the official statement from AFSTRAT-AIR.
As per AFSTRAT, during the Minuteman III test launch, an unarmed rocket GT 254 hit its intended target near the Marshall Islands.
"During the test, the ICBM's two reentry vehicles traveled thousands of miles to a pre-determined target at the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands," said AFSTRAT.
What is Minuteman III?
As per the US Department of Defence, the LGM-30G Minuteman III is an intercontinental ballistic missile part of the US' nuclear triad. The nuclear missile is a key land-based weapon under the control of Air Force Global Strike Command at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana.
First deployed in 1970, the Department of Defence adds that the US currently has 400 Minuteman III missiles spread across Air Force Bases in Montana, North Dakota and Wyoming.
Also Read | Why US launched its nuclear-capable doomsday missile amid Iran tensions - Explained
The missile can travel 6,000 miles at speeds of more than 15,000 mph, and can hold nuclear warheads 20 times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945.
US-Iran war escalates
As the war between the US and Iran continue to escalate, the conflict has expanded across the Middle East and has now neared the Indian Ocean.
In the Middle East, the US embassy in Doha, Qatar was targeted by drone attacks, days after US embassies in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE faced similar attacks.
Furthermore, a US submarine also hit an Iranian naval ship off the coast of Sri Lanka with a torpedo. The Iranian ship, identified as IRIS Dena, was struck after returning from a naval exercise from India
