What is Minuteman III?

About Minuteman III Missile:

• 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 with multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRVs).
• The United States currently has an estimated 440 Minuteman III missiles in its arsenal.
• Features:
  • 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 war head pursuant 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.

Q1: What are ballistic missiles?

A ballistic missile is a rocket-propelled, self-guided strategic-weapons system that follows a ballistic trajectory to deliver a payload from its launch site to a predetermined target. They are powered initially by a rocket or series of rockets in stages, but then follow an unpowered trajectory that arches upwards before descending to reach its intended target. They can carry conventional high explosives as well as chemical, biological, or nuclear munitions.

News: US To Test Hypersonic Nuclear Missile After Polls Close: Report