What is ‘doomsday’ missile? US tests Minuteman III as conflict with Iran rages - What can it do?

The United States has tested its ‘Minuteman III' intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), also known as the ’doomsday' missile, just as its conflict with Iran enters Day 6 and escalates to reach international waters. The Minuteman III missile was launched on Tuesday, 3 March night from the Vandenberg Space Force Base off the coast of California. The test launch carried two test re-entry vehicles.

In a statement, Air Force Global Strike Command said that the test was scheduled to be conducted years ago. Referring to America's joint military operation against Iran, it also clarified that the test was not conducted “in response to world events”.

“This launch, designated GT 255, was scheduled years ago and is not in response to world events,” it said.

The strike command further added that it is “a key component of a data-driven program that has been in place for decades, involving over 300 similar tests designed to validate the performance of the weapon system. The data collected from these routine tests is essential for ongoing and future force development”.

Where did the missile land?

According to AFSTRAT, during the test, the ICBM's two reentry vehicles travelled thousands of miles to a pre-determined target at the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

“This long-range flight allows engineers and weapons experts from the 377th Test and Evaluation Group to collect invaluable data on the missile's accuracy and reliability, verifying that every component of the ICBM weapon system performs as designed,” it said.

AFSTRAT continued that the “377 TEG then provides the data collected from these test launches to a wide range of stakeholders, including the Department of War, the Department of Energy, and U.S. Strategic Command, for comprehensive force development evaluation.”

What is Minuteman III and what can it do?

The Minuteman III is a nuclear-capable missile fitted with a single Mark-21 high-fidelity re-entry vehicle.

Minuteman III or ‘doomsday’ has a range of 6,000 miles or 9,656 kilometres. It can travel at a speed exceeding 15,000 miles or 24,140 kilometres per hour.

“Weighing in at 79,432 pounds and having a maximum range of roughly 6,000 miles, ICBMs are combat capable, 24/7/365, providing a second strike capability and the ability to be launched even when under attack,” AFSTRAT said.

According to Hindustan Times, the Minuteman III is designed to carry nuclear warheads with explosive power up to 20 times greater than the Hiroshima atomic bomb.

An NDTV report mentioned that the doomsday missile can reach anywhere on Earth. It said that this is the only “non-mobile, silo-based, land-based, nuclear-capable ballistic missile” that the United States has.