Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile

On May 21, 2025, the U.S. military successfully test launched a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The unarmed missile traveled 4,200 miles (6,760 km), striking its designated target at the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site in the Kwajalein Atoll, part of the Marshall Islands.

Purpose and Capabilities:

• The launch aimed to demonstrate the readiness and reliability of the U.S. nuclear deterrent.
• Minuteman III missiles, in service since the 1970s, are capable of deploying multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs), each carrying a nuclear warhead.
• These missiles can travel over 3,400 miles (5,500 km), exiting the atmosphere and reentering on unpowered descent trajectories.

Future of the Arsenal:

• The Minuteman III is scheduled to be replaced by the LGM-35 Sentinel by 2030, which is currently under development by Northrop Grumman as part of the U.S. nuclear modernization strategy.

Global ICBM Landscape:

• The first ICBM was launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, using technology that also launched Sputnik, the first artificial satellite.
• Countries known to have operational ICBMs include the U.S., Russia, China, France, India, the UK, Israel, and North Korea.
• Nations are now investing in hypersonic glide vehicles, which can maneuver at extreme speeds during reentry, making them far more difficult to intercept than traditional ballistic missiles.

(Source: CNBC)