Minuteman III missile to launch from Vandenberg this week. When will test happen?
The year’s second Minuteman III missile, equipped with a mock warhead outfitted with sensors to collect data, is set for a test launch early Wednesday morning from Vandenberg Space Force Base near Lompoc.
The unarmed three-stage weapon will pop out of an underground silo on North Base between 12:01 a.m. to 6:01 a.m., Vandenberg officials said Monday.
Minuteman tests typically aim for the opening of a six-hour window, but technical troubles or unfavorable weather at Vandenberg or downrange can cause delays.
“This test is routine and was scheduled years in advance,” Vandenberg officials said in a written statement. “Consistent with previous test launches, this ICBM test launch will validate and verify the effectiveness, readiness and accuracy of the weapon system.”
Earlier this month, base representatives released different launch times and dates for the test, saying it would take place between 11:47 p.m. Wednesday and 5:47 a.m. Thursday.
Minuteman missiles typically travel more than 4,200 miles to a predetermined target in the central Pacific Ocean near the Kwajalein Atoll.
The military tracks the flight to collect data on the weapon system.
The purpose of the ICBM test launch program is to demonstrate the readiness of U.S. nuclear forces, and provide confidence in the lethality and effectiveness of the nation’s nuclear deterrent, according to the U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command.
The Air Force has some 400 Minuteman III weapons on alert near Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana; Minot AFB in North Dakota and F.E. Warren AFB in Wyoming.
In anticipation of the test, the United States has transmitted a pre-launch notification pursuant to the Hague Code of Conduct, and notified the Russian government in advance, per existing bilateral obligations.
That pre-launch notification has been in place for decades, including during the Cold War, to ensure a test isn’t mistaken for an attack.
The first Minuteman III missile test launch of 2023 at Vandenberg occurred in February.
Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com .
