An American nuclear missile test amid rising international tensions? It’s not science fiction. The United States conducted a new test of the intercontinental ballistic missile Minuteman III on March 3. The missile can reach speeds of over 24,000 km/h and cover a distance of up to 13,000 kilometers.
The test, however, was carried out without a nuclear warhead from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California towards the Pacific Ocean. Officially, it was a routine exercise. The US Air Force explained that “the airmen of the Air Force Global Strike Command conducted an unarmed operational test launch.” The goal was to “demonstrate the readiness of the US nuclear forces and strengthen confidence in the country’s nuclear deterrence’s lethality and effectiveness.”
These tests are regularly conducted by Washington to verify the reliability of its systems. The last test was in November 2025. However, in the current geopolitical context, these military demonstrations are closely watched.
The Minuteman III is not a new weapon. It entered service in 1970 and is the oldest strategic nuclear weapons system still used by the US military. Around 400 missiles are deployed in underground silos across the US. Linked to highly secure command centers, they can be launched within minutes of receiving a presidential order by crews consisting of two officers.
The missile can carry multiple independent nuclear warheads, each capable of hitting a different target with great precision. Although some components date back to the Cold War, Washington is preparing for its replacement.
The “Golden Dome”
The Minuteman III is gradually being replaced by a new program called Sentinel, aimed at modernizing the US land-based nuclear deterrence. However, this project has already accumulated delays and cost overruns.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump is pushing a much more ambitious project: the “Golden Dome,” a massive missile shield designed to protect the US against ballistic, hypersonic, or cruise missile attacks. According to reports, the President cherishes this idea as seen in the new decoration of the White House.
Inspired by the Israeli Iron Dome, this system would rely on a network of radars, sensors, and interceptor missiles deployed on multiple levels (on the ground, at sea, in the air, potentially in space).
The American President claims that such a system could “intercept missiles even if they are launched from the other side of the Earth.”
