US will hold on May 5, MINUTEMAN III ICBR test at Vendenberg Air Base, California, the press release on the official site of the base.
“The test launch of an unsecured intercontinental ballistic missile Minuteman III command of global blows of the US Air Force is planned on Wednesday, May 5, between 00.15 and 6.15 from the northern part of Vdenberg,” – reported in the statement.
According to the release, the purpose of the test is an assessment and confirmation of efficiency, readiness and accuracy of this weapon system.
US conducted the MINUTEMAN III III test in February on the same airbase.
Three-stage intercontinental ballistic missiles of ground-based MINUTEMAN family were originally intended for nuclear deterrence during the Cold War from the USSR. Now Minuteman III is the only intercontinental ballistic rocket of ground-based base, adopted in the United States. According to open sources, the entire United States has 450 MINUTEMAN III missiles. MINUTEMAN III ICBM is in service with the US Army since 1970, at the end of 1978 their production was discontinued. The rocket is able to hit targets within a radius of 12 thousand kilometers.