[ad_1]
The US Air Force launched a Minuteman III ballistic missile that did not carry a warhead to test its performance, the bullet could fly more than 6,700 km.
The Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California on October 29, flew over a distance of 6,720 km, and sank over the United States Marshall Islands sports ground in the Pacific. Ocean.
The Minuteman III missile test on October 29. Video: USAF.
This is the fourth Minuteman III missile test conducted by the US military this year. The bullet was scheduled to be fired on October 28, but had to be postponed due to bad weather on the sports field.
“The tests help to assess and confirm the effectiveness, combat readiness and accuracy of the entire ICBM system,” the US Air Force Global Strike Command issued. The statement said, stating that This activity is not related to world events or regional tensions.
The LGM-30 Minuteman III is part of the US nuclear deterrence trilogy, along with the Ohio-class Trident III submarine missile and strategic bomber nuclear weapons. Minuteman III has a range of approximately 13,000 km, a final phase speed of 28,700 km / h, a maximum flight altitude of 1,120 km. Each missile carries a W87 warhead with the equivalent of 475,000 tons of TNT explosives.
The US Department of Defense plans to spend $ 96 billion on research and deployment of the Strategic Ground Launched Deterrence Weapon (GBSD) system, part of an effort to completely revamp the US nuclear force. In dozens next year at a total cost of about $ 1.2 trillion. The GBSD will replace the 450 Minuteman III missiles that have been in service since the 1970s.
Vu anh (According to the Sputnik)
