U.S. military officials said Tuesday they carried out a test launch of a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile to demonstrate the readiness of the nation’s nuclear deterrent.
The test launch had been delayed to avoid escalating international tensions.
Air Force Global Strike Command launched the unarmed ICBM from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California in order to “provide confidence in the lethality and effectiveness” of the system. It was equipped with a test reentry vehicle, officials said.
The ICBM’s reentry vehicle traveled about 4,200 miles to the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. The launch verified the accuracy and reliability of the ICBM weapon system and provided valuable data to ensure a secure and effective deterrent, officials said.
“Make no mistake — our nuclear triad is the cornerstone of the national security of our country and of our allies around the globe,” Air Force Col. Chris Cruise, commander of the 576th Flight Test Squadron, said in a statement.
Test launches are typically scheduled well in advance and are not intended to react to any particular world event, officials said.
An ICBM test launch was most recently scrubbed earlier this month over concerns that it could inflame tensions with China.