Days after Trump’s call for nuclear tests, US test-fires ballistic missile

The United States Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) successfully test-fired an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) early Wednesday from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base, days after President Donald Trump renewed calls to restart America’s nuclear testing programme.

The launch, designated Glory Trip 254, aimed to assess the reliability, operational readiness, and accuracy of the ageing ICBM system — described by officials as a cornerstone of America’s national defence. The missile travelled about 4,200 miles before hitting its target at the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defence Test Site on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

“GT 254 is not just a launch – it’s a comprehensive assessment to verify and validate the ICBM system’s ability to perform its critical mission,” said Lt. Col. Karrie Wray, commander of the 576th Flight Test Squadron. “The data collected is invaluable in ensuring continued reliability and accuracy.”

According to the Air Force, the test had been scheduled months in advance and was unrelated to current global developments. However, it comes soon after Trump announced that the United States would resume nuclear testing, claiming the country possesses enough nuclear weapons “to blow up the world 150 times.”

Officials said Air Force personnel launched the missile remotely from aboard a US Navy E-6B Mercury aircraft, a command-and-control system designed to enable missile launches even if ground communications are disrupted.

“Through this assessment, conducted by a dedicated team of Airmen, we ensure the highest standards of integrity and reliability for the Nation’s ICBM system,” said Col. Dustin Harmon, commander of the Air Force’s 377th Test and Evaluation Group.

The Minuteman III, first deployed in the 1970s, forms a key component of the United States’ nuclear triad, alongside submarine-launched ballistic missiles and bomber-based nuclear weapons. Each missile can carry a single nuclear warhead and has a range of approximately 13,000 kilometres.

The Air Force plans to replace the Minuteman III with the next-generation LGM-35A Sentinel missile system, expected to enter service in the early 2030s.

Russia was notified in advance of the test, the Kremlin confirmed through spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, according to the Interfax news agency.

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