A controversial election day missile launch by the US military was a success, according to officials who insist the test had nothing to do with “world events.”
The ICBM exercise took place last night at 11 pm PT (2 am ET) from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, just hours after Donald Trump declared victory in the presidential election.
While the timing of the launch drew attention, officials insisted the test is routine and was scheduled years in advance.
Gen. Thomas Bussiere, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, said, “These tests are a demonstration of what Striker Airmen bring to the fight if called upon by the president.”
“An air launch validates the survivability of our intercontinental ballistic missiles, which serve as strategic support to the defense of our nation and allies and partners.”
He added: “Such tests have occurred more than 300 times before, and this test is not the result of current world events.”
But the test comes as Trump claims the world is close to nuclear war and says he will withdraw US support for Ukraine in the war with Russia before taking the oath of office on January 20.
The US military conducted a test launch of its hypersonic nuclear missile on election night.
The exercise began at 11:01 p.m. PT (2:01 a.m. ET) on Wednesday from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.
The nuclear missile took off in the dead of night, traveling at 15,000 miles per hour to a testing range near Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean.
He completed the 4,200-mile trip in about 22 minutes.
Military officials collected radar, optical and telemetry data in the terminal phase of the flight to evaluate the system’s performance.
The weapon is capable of carrying three Mk 12A nuclear warheads, each containing up to 350,000 tons of TNT.
While the Associated Press called Wisconsin at 2:34 a.m. (5:34 a.m. ET) Wednesday and the PRESIDENTIAL? race just three minutes later, Newsmax did the screening approximately two hours before.
However, the official call was not made until Wednesday after Trump won 277 electoral votes.
Trump has received more than 71 million votes as of Wednesday morning, compared to Kamala Harris’ 66 million, becoming the first Republican to win the popular vote since George Bush in 2004.
The hypersonic weapon was designed to hit any target around the world in just 30 minutes after launch.
Moscow is about 5,900 miles from California, while Beijing is about 6,000 miles away: the two nations are considered a threat to the United States.
The test came less than a week after North Korea pledged to support Russia until its victory in Ukraine.
And just days later, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that the United States and Russia are very close to engaging in “direct military conflict.”
The test began shortly after Donald Trump declared victory in the presidential election.
Military officials, however, assure Americans that the test was not the result of current world events.
A report of the Wall Street Journal in May he claimed that US and Philippine marines had been carrying out sinister war exercises on small islands a short distance from Taiwan.
The exercises included deploying teams of Marines from Chinook helicopters, preparing unarmed assault rifles, and exploring terrain that would hypothetically be used if conflict broke out.
However, military officials involved in the ICBM test assured Americans that Tuesday’s exercise was not due to growing fears of World War III.
Col. Dorian Hatcher, deputy commander of Space Launch Delta 30, said, “This Minuteman III test launch exemplified the mission readiness, agility and professionalism of the Vandenberg, Global Strike Command and U.S. Navy personnel. .
“Each test of this deterrent system at Vandenberg underscores the nation’s strong capabilities and highlights the indispensable support our Airmen and Guardians provide to ensure national security.”
The weapon traveled more than 4,000 miles at speeds of more than 15,000 miles per hour to a testing range in the Marshall Islands in the central Pacific Ocean.
ICBMs are one of two currently used by the United States; the other is submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) that are deployed from underwater submarines.
The weapon is a vital component of the US military’s nuclear forces, capable of delivering a nuclear payload to targets around the world, but is scheduled to be phased out by 2029 and replaced by the Sentinel LGM-35A intercontinental ballistic missile.
The US Air Force said that “the Sentinel weapons system is the most cost-effective option to maintain a secure and effective land portion of the nuclear triad and would extend its capabilities through 2075.”
The LG-35A Sentinel will replace the Minuteman III ICBM with an initial capability of 2029.
Until full capability is achieved in the mid-2030s, the Air Force is committed to ensuring the Minuteman III remains a viable deterrent.
Army Lt. Col. Casel Rumfelt, director of the range, said: ‘This range and testing facilitate America’s technical advantage on the global stage.
‘Our team brings decades of experience and a level of professionalism that makes the impossible look easy in a no-fail environment. “I couldn’t be more proud of this incredible team.”
