Vandenberg Air Force Base officials launched a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile configured with a National Nuclear Security Administration test assembly at 1 a.m. PST Nov. 5 here. The launch was an operational test to determine the weapon system's reliability and accuracy. The missile's single unarmed re-entry vehicle travelled approximately 4,190 miles to the predetermined target near Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.
A Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile configured with a National Nuclear Security Administration, or NNSA, test assembly was launched from North Vandenberg at 1:01 a.m. Aug. 13. The launch was an operational test to determine the weapon system's reliability and accuracy. The missile's three unarmed re-entry vehicles travelled approximately 4,220 nautical miles to pre-determined targets in the Pacific Ocean.
A Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile configured with a National Nuclear Security Administration, or NNSA, joint-test assembly, launched at 3:04 a.m. May 22 from Vandenberg Air Force Base. The launch was an extended range test which proved the weapon system's reliability and accuracy. The missile's single unarmed re-entry vehicle travelled approximately 5,250 miles before hitting its pre-determined target in a broad ocean area 230 nautical miles southwest of Guam. This flight was approximately 1,000 miles farther than the traditional tests, which land in the Marshall Islands.