Air Force launches unarmed ICBM with test reentry vehicle

摘要

Air Force Global Strike Command launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile with a test reentry vehicle from Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA, early this morning. The "developmental test launch" used a spare ICBM from storage to validate flight worthiness of the experimental component in a near-operational environment, according to an AFGSC notice. This differs from an "operational test launch," which aims to verify fleet-wide reliability by randomly selecting a fielded missile.