Air Force conducts routine Minuteman III test launch from Vandenberg, sending two reentry vehicles to Kwajalein

Air Force Global Strike Command conducted a routine test launch of an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile at 11:01 p.m. Pacific Time on March 3, sending two test reentry vehicles thousands of miles to a preplanned target at the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

Designated GT 255, the launch was scheduled years in advance and is not tied to current world events. It is part of a decades-long, data-driven testing program that has conducted more than 300 similar launches to validate the performance and readiness of the ICBM weapon system and inform future force development.

“GT 255 allowed us to assess the performance of individual components of the missile system,” said Lt. Col. Karrie Wray, commander of the 576th Flight Test Squadron. “By continually assessing varying mission profiles, we are able to enhance the performance of the entire ICBM fleet, ensuring the maximum level of readiness for the land-based leg of the nation’s nuclear triad.”

The launch evaluated both the missile and its multiple reentry vehicles, which are used to increase effectiveness and overcome enemy defenses. “It is critical to test all aspects of our ICBM force, including our ability to deliver multiple, independently targeted payloads with absolute precision,” said Gen. S.L. Davis, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command. “This test validates the intricate synchronization of the weapon system, from the initial launch sequence to the flawless deployment of each reentry vehicle.”

Engineers and weapons experts from the 377th Test and Evaluation Group collected data on accuracy and reliability throughout the long-range flight to verify system performance. The group shares findings with federal stakeholders, including national security and energy agencies and U.S. Strategic Command, to support comprehensive force development and ensure the Minuteman III remains a technically sound and dependable system.

“Test launches are the most visible and vital way we verify our capabilities and validate the performance of our systems,” said Col. Dustin Harmon, commander of the 377th TEG. “These tests confirm \[our missile community’s] unmatched ability to support this critical mission and provide crucial data that ensures our systems remain ready and reliable.”

The launch followed months of preparation across multiple government partners. Airmen from the 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, provided maintenance support, while operators from all three missile wings executed the launch sequence.

“The data we gather ensures our long-range strike capabilities are not just a theoretical concept, but a proven, reliable, and lethal force, ready to defend the nation at a moment’s notice,” Davis said.

While the Minuteman III remains on alert, the Air Force continues work on its replacement, the LGM-35A Sentinel, which will modernize the land-based leg of the U.S. nuclear triad.