US Air Force releases rare video of Minuteman III ICBM launch

On April 19, the US Navy and Air Force conducted a test launch of an intercontinental

Minuteman III ballistic missile (ICBM). A week after the test, the US Air Force released a video of the missile launch.

What is known

The video was posted a few days after.of how photographs taken aboard the E-6B Mercury "doomsday aircraft" during the test launch of the Minuteman III became available to the general public.

The United States conducted an ICBM test to demonstrate readinessnuclear deterrence forces to respond to emerging threats. The rocket with the test warhead flew almost 7000 km and once again demonstrated the reliability of the Minuteman III. The United States has conducted a total of more than 300 ICBM test launches.

There are approximately 400 units in US service.Minuteman III. The rocket is capable of reaching a speed of about 24,000 km/h and covering almost 10,000 km. ICBMs are stored in silos located in several states: Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota and Wyoming.

Department of Defense plans to replace MinutemanIII on a new rocket. It is called Sentinel and is being developed by Northrop Grumman. It is expected that the first ICBM will appear at the beginning of the next decade. The Sentinel will remain in service until the 2070s.