 test from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.){kind=link}
The US Air Force has successfully launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, less than twenty-four hours after US President Donald Trump announced the $175 billion Golden Dome missile defence project. Launched on May 21, 2025, at 12:01 local time, the missile travelled roughly 4,200 miles to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defence Test Site in the Marshall Islands, confirming the land-based leg of the US nuclear triad’s ongoing operational readiness and dependability.
In a statement, Global Strike commander Gen. Thomas Bussiere said, “This ICBM test launch highlights the nation’s nuclear deterrent strength and the readiness of the ICBM leg of the triad.” He also added, “Devoted airmen—missileers, defenders, helicopter operators, and the teams that support them—maintain this potent safeguard, which ensures the security of the nation and its allies.”
The 377th Test and Evaluation Group at Vandenberg oversaw the launch, which took place at the base’s Western Test Range. To make sure the Minuteman III, which is over 50 years old and nearing the end of its life, continues to operate safely and as intended, the Air Force frequently tests it at night. Since February, the service has carried out over 300 tests of this kind.
The Sentinel system will eventually take the place of the Minuteman programme, which was first created in the 1970s. The Air Force has reiterated its commitment to ensuring the Minuteman III “remains a viable deterrent” until the Sentinel achieves full operational capability.
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