What is the Minuteman III missile that the US just launched? All details inside

The United States successfully carried out a test launch of an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on May 21, 2025, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

This routine test was part of ongoing efforts to show that the U.S. still relies on and maintains its nuclear defense system, especially as it prepares to introduce a new missile, the LGM-35A Sentinel.

The Minuteman III is the only land-based missile in the U.S. nuclear weapons system and has been a key part of national defense for decades. The missile was launched at 12:01 am Pacific Time by a team from the Air Force Global Strike Command.

It traveled about 4,200 miles before hitting its target at the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site in the Marshall Islands. Though the missile was unarmed, it was equipped with a high-precision test reentry vehicle to simulate real conditions.

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