Minuteman III Missile

Minuteman III Missile Latest News

The US Air Force successfully launched an unarmed Minuteman III ICBM, a test scheduled months in advance.

About Minuteman III Missile

• The LGM-30G Minuteman III is an American-made 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.
• Introduced in the early 1970s, the Minuteman III was the first missile in the US arsenal to feature multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs).
• It is the sole land-based component of the U.S. nuclear triad.
• It was developed for the United States by Douglas Aircraft Company, which later became part of McDonnell Douglas and then Boeing. 
• 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.
• The United States currently has an estimated 440 Minuteman III missiles in its arsenal.

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Minuteman III Missile Features

• It weighs more than 30 tons and measures 18 meters long.
• Propulsion: Three-stage solid fuel rocket motors; post-boost stage for positioning re-entry vehicle is liquid-fueled.
• Speed: Approximately 15,000 mph (Mach 23 or 24,000 kph) at burnout (Hypersonic).
• Range: It has a maximum range of approximately 13,000 kilometres.
• It is capable of carrying a payload of three re-entry vehicles.
• Originally capable of carrying three nuclear warheads, current configurations carry a single warhead, in compliance with arms control agreements between the United States and Russia.
• Each missile is housed in a hardened underground silo, connected to a launch control center via reinforced cables.
• It has a fast launch time, nearly 100 percent testing reliability, and backup airborne launch controllers to preserve retaliatory capabilities.

Source: TOI