Minuteman III Missile:
The US army would be carrying out a test launch of a Minuteman III hypersonic nuclear missile hours after voting close on Election Day.
- The LGM-30G Minuteman III is an American Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM).
- “L” in LGM is the US Department of Defense designation for silo-launched; “G” means surface attack; and “M” stands for guided missile.
- It first became operational in the early 1970s.
- It is the sole land-based component of the U.S. nuclear triad.
- It was designed and manufactured by the Boeing Corporation.
- Originally, it was only supposed to be kept in service for about ten years, but instead, it has been modernized as its replacement, the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD), is due to become available for use in 2029.
- It was the first U.S. missile fitted withmultiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRVs).
- The United States currently has an estimated 440 Minuteman III missiles in its arsenal.
- It is a three-stage, solid-fuel missile.
- The missile is 18.2 m long with a diameter of 1.85 m and a launch weight of 34,467 kg.
- Speed: Approximately 15,000 mph (Mach 23 or 24,000 kph) at burnout (Hypersonic).
- It has a maximum range of 13,000 km and is capable of carrying a payload of three re-entry vehicles.
- It now carries a single nuclear warheadpursuant to arms control agreements between the United States and Russia.
- The Minuteman missiles are dispersed in hardened silos and connected to an underground launch control center through a system of hardened cables.
- It has a fast launch time, nearly 100 percent testing reliability, and backup airborne launch controllers to preserve retaliatory capabilities.
