U.S. military to launch ICBM in display of nuclear forces’ readiness

SpaceWar.com reports: “The U.S. military is scheduled to launch an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile from California overnight in a display of the U.S. nuclear forces’ readiness, officials said.

The Air Force Global Strike Command launch is to occur during the window of 11:47 p.m. PT Tuesday and 5:47 a.m. Wednesday from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in North Vandenberg, Calif.

The launch is a routine test that was scheduled years in advance and is done to ‘validate and verify the effectiveness, readiness and accuracy of the weapon system,’ Vandenberg Space Force Base said in an August statement announcing the launch.

Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters during a press conference Tuesday that the United States has transmitted a prelaunch notification to the Hague Code of Conduct and that it has notified the Russian government in accordance to existing bilateral obligations.

‘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 ineffectiveness of the nation’s nuclear deterrent,’ he said…”

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