Minuteman III Missile Test Planned for Vandenberg Air Force Base

Sep. 1--Vandenberg Air Force Base is scheduled to host an operational test launch of an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile in the early morning of Wednesday, Sept. 2. 

The launch of the Air Force Global Strike Command ICBM, which is a component of the United States' nuclear weapons system, is scheduled for a window between 12:02 and 6:02 a.m. The test was announced Tuesday morning by the 30th Space Wing.

The test will be the second of its kind at the base in less than a month's time. VAFB hosted a similar exercise on Aug. 4.

The purpose of the ICBM test launch program is to verify the safety, security, effectiveness and readiness of the weapon system, according to Air Force Global Strike Command.

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