WEBVTT

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Air Force Global Strike Command airmen

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conducted an operational test launch of

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an unarmed Minuteman 3 intercontinental

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ballistic missile from Vandenberg Space

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Force Base , California , March 3rd to

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demonstrate the readiness of the US

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nuclear forces and provide confidence

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in the lethality and effectiveness of

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the nation's nuclear deterrent . This

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launch designated GT 255 was scheduled

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years ago and is not in response to

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world events . It is a key component of

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a data-driven program that has been in

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place for decades involving over 300

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similar tests designed to validate the

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performance of the weapon system . The

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data collected from these routine tests

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is essential for ongoing and future

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force development . Today's test launch

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used a randomly selected

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intercontinental ballistic missile

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pulled from Minot Air Force Base ,

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North Dakota . The missile was

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transported more than 1300 miles and

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reassembled at Vandenberg Space Force

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Base , California . The ICBM was

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equipped with multiple targetable

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reentry vehicles and traveled

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approximately 4200 miles at a speed of

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more than 15,000 MPH to a test range

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near the Quadrain Atoll in the Marshall

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Islands . The ICBM test and evaluation

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program helps validate the reliability

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of the nuclear umbrella our allies and

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partners rely on , eliminating the need

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to obtain their own nuclear weapons to

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counter potential adversaries . The

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56-year-old Minuteman 3 is based in

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Colorado , Montana , Nebraska , North

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Dakota , and Wyoming and will be

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replaced by the LGM 35A Sentinel .

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Reporting from Vandenberg Space Force

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Base , I'm Senior Airman Kevin

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Hernandez .