{"id":69896,"date":"2026-03-06T19:27:43","date_gmt":"2026-03-06T19:27:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2026\/03\/06\/air-force-test-launches-minuteman-iii-with-multiple-reentry-vehicles\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T21:23:13","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T21:23:13","slug":"air-force-test-launches-minuteman-iii-with-multiple-reentry-vehicles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2026\/03\/06\/air-force-test-launches-minuteman-iii-with-multiple-reentry-vehicles\/","title":{"rendered":"Air Force test launches Minuteman III with multiple reentry vehicles"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Air Force Global Strike Command conducted an operational test launch Tuesday of an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile equipped with two test reentry vehicles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Designated GT 255, the launch was scheduled years in advance and was not in response to current world events, according to an official AFGSC release. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The test, which occurred at 11:01 p.m. PST from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, is one of more than 300 conducted under a decades-long evaluation program aimed at confirming the weapon system\u2019s reliability and performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The missile\u2019s two reentry vehicles, designed to increase the missile\u2019s effectiveness against defended targets, traveled thousands of miles before reaching a predetermined target at Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, according to the release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGT 255 allowed us to assess the performance of individual components of the missile system,\u201dsaid Lt. Col. Karrie Wray, commander of the 576th Flight Test Squadron. \u201cBy continually assessing varying mission profiles, we are able to enhance the performance of the entire ICBM fleet, ensuring the maximum level of readiness for the land-based leg of the nation\u2019s nuclear triad.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is critical to test all aspects of our ICBM force, including our ability to deliver multiple, independently targeted payloads with absolute precision,\u201d said Gen. S.L. Davis, AFGSC commander. \u201cThis test validates the intricate synchronization of the weapon system, from the initial launch sequence to the flawless deployment of each reentry vehicle.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Engineers and weapons experts from the 377th Test and Evaluation Group collected data on the missile\u2019s accuracy and reliability during the test. That data is provided to the Defense Department, the Department of Energy and U.S. Strategic Command for force development evaluation, according to the release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTest launches are the most visible and vital way we verify our capabilities and validate the performance of our systems. … These tests confirm their unmatched ability to support this critical mission and provide crucial data that ensures our systems remain ready and reliable,\u201d said Col.Dustin Harmon, 377th Test and Evaluation Group commander.<\/p>\n\n\n\t