A touch of antiquity. Cold War missile tested in USA
The United States conducted a test launch of a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. According to the Pentagon, the tests were successful, and the missile launch was planned for five years and is not intended to scare anyone. AiF.ru figured out how the launch took place, why it was needed and what kind of rocket it was.
A working test launch of the missile without a warhead was carried out from the Vanderberg base in California. Minuteman III flew about 4,200 miles towards the Marshall Islands in the Pacific Ocean. The tests were found to be successful. It is emphasized that this test launch is not a response or reaction to world events. The launch schedule is drawn up five years in advance, and planning begins six months before the event. The processed test data will be used in the future to assess the combat readiness of missiles of this class.
The purpose of missile testing is to confirm their combat readiness. Up to four launches are carried out annually. Such tests are needed to monitor the readiness of weapons systems. In addition, according to the military, the test launch made it possible to convince the allies that the US nuclear deterrent is “safe, reliable and effective.” The previous rocket launch on May 5 was canceled due to a computer malfunction.
Minuteman III are three-stage intercontinental ballistic missiles. They were created in the late 1960s. They were one of the main US deterrent forces during the Cold War, they have been in service with the US Army since 1970, and their production was discontinued at the end of 1978. They were planned to be removed from service in 2020, but the lack of modern analogues forced the Pentagon to extend their service life. So now, half a century later, the Minuteman III remain the only land-based ICBM to enter service in the United States. According to open sources, the United States has 450 Minuteman III missiles in total. The missile is capable of hitting targets within a radius of 12 thousand kilometers.
The missiles underwent repeated modernization, in particular, from 2007 to 2012, the Mk.12A warheads were replaced with Mk.21, the installation of new guidance and control systems, and power plants. At the same time, a number of American experts criticize the supporters of the program to extend the service life of the Minuteman III missiles. In their opinion, the United States needs to improve the entire system related to intercontinental ballistic missiles: infrastructure, command and control, as well as an industrial base. The military says that their operation will last until at least 2030. Perhaps by this time, the program for the development of new missiles, which is currently being carried out at the Pentagon, will be completed.
By 2024, the Strategic Missile Forces of Russia will stop operating the Topol missiles. They will be replaced by Yars intercontinental ballistic missiles. The decommissioned Topoli will be used for civilian purposes.
