US Air Force Conducts Test Launch of Unarmed Minuteman III ICBM from Vandenberg SFB
The US Air Force successfully conducted an operational test launch of an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The purpose of the test was to validate and verify the readiness of the nuclear weapon system. The launch was part of routine testing scheduled years in advance and aimed to demonstrate the effectiveness and lethality of the nation's nuclear deterrent. The US notified the Hague Code of Conduct and the Russian government about the test launch.