 |
| Minuteman 3 missile (File Photo) |
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. — The U.S. Air Force successfully launched an unarmed intercontinental ballistic missile from California, the fourth such test this year.
The 30th Space Wing says the Minuteman 3 missile launched at 2:10 a.m. Wednesday from Vandenberg Air Force Base, about 130 miles (209 kilometers) northwest of Los Angeles.
An Air Force statement said the test would show the effectiveness, readiness and accuracy of the weapon system.
Minuteman missiles are regularly tested with launches from Vandenberg that send unarmed re-entry vehicles 4,200 miles (6,800 kilometers) across the Pacific to a target area at Kwajalein Atoll.
However, the latest U.S. launches come amid tensions with North Korea as that nation develops its own ICBMs.
Read the full story at DefenseNews << Video