VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif —
A joint team of Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen and Navy aircrew launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile equipped with multiple targetable re-entry vehicles from aboard the Airborne Launch Control System (ALCS) Nov. 5, 2024, at 11:01 p.m. Pacific Time from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.
Airmen from the 625th Strategic Operations Squadron out of Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, were aboard the U.S. Navy E-6B Mercury aircraft to demonstrate the reliability and effectiveness of the ALCS system. Airmen and Guardians from Vandenberg
“This Minuteman III test launch exemplified the mission readiness, agility, and professionalism of the personnel at Vandenberg, Global Strike Command, and the U.S. Navy,” said Col. Dorian Hatcher, Space Launch Delta 30 deputy commander. “Every test of this deterrent system at Vandenberg underscores the nations robust capabilities and highlights the indispensable support our Airmen and Guardians provide to ensure national security.”
This test launch is part of routine and periodic activities intended to demonstrate that the United States’ nuclear deterrent is safe, secure, reliable and effective to deter 21st century threats and reassure our allies.
“Ensuring the reliability of the U.S. nuclear enterprise serves as the bedrock of our mission here at Vandenberg,” said Col. Dustin Harmon, commander of the 377th Test and Evaluation Group. “Today’s test launch exemplifies the unwavering readiness of our nation’s ICBMs, as well as the dedication of the professional Airmen who maintain and operate them. This event underscores our steadfast commitment to deterrence, as we remain vigilant and prepared around the clock, every day of the year.”
Such tests have occurred over 300 times before, and this test is not the result of current world events.
“These tests are demonstrative of what Striker Airmen bring to the fight if called by the president,” said Gen. Thomas A. Bussiere, commander, Air Force Global Strike Command. “An airborne launch validates the survivability of our ICBMs, which serve as the strategic backstop of our nation’s defense and defense of allies and partners.”
The ICBM’s reentry vehicle traveled approximately 4,200 miles to the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command’s Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site located within Republic of the Marshall Islands at the Kwajalein Atoll. Reagan Test Site sensors, including high-fidelity metric and signature radars, as well as optical sensors and telemetry, support the research, development, test and evaluation of America’s defense and space programs. For these tests, RTS team members collect radar, optical and telemetry data in the terminal phase of flight to evaluate system performance.
“RTS is honored to be the nation’s only long-range land impact site providing our strategic partners a safe environment and truth in testing for the continued development of the ICBM modernization efforts,” said Army Lt. Col. Casel Rumfelt, RTS Range Director. “This range and testing facilitate America’s technical advantage on the global stage. Our team brings decades of experience and a level of professionalism that makes the impossible seem easy in a no-fail environment. I couldn’t be prouder of this incredible team.”
The test launch is a culmination of months of preparation that involve multiple government partners.
The LG-35A Sentinel will replace the Minuteman III ICBM with an initial capability of 2029. Until full capability is achieved in the mid-2030s, the Air Force is committed to ensuring Minuteman III remains a viable deterrent.
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For questions regarding the launch window or Vandenberg SFB range operations, contact Space Launch Delta 30 Public Affairs at 805-606-3595 or sld30.pa.workflow@us.af.mil.
For queries regarding the ICBM test launch mission and missile, contact AFGSC Public Affairs at 318-456-1305 or afgsc.paworkflow@us.af.mil.
Imagery and video can be found here: