An unarmed Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile launches on May 20, 2026 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
(Image credit: U.S. Space Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Draeke Layman)
The U.S. military test-launched an unarmed nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile overnight to verify the readiness of its arsenal.The Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) took off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California just after midnight Pacific time today (May 20).These launches happen a few times a year; the U.S. military launched an unarmed Minuteman III missile nearly a year ago to this day in May 2025, then did so again in November.According to a U.S. Space Force statement, the launch was designed to test not only the missile system but also the personnel who maintain and operate the United States' arsenal of ICBMs."Our ability to conduct these rigorous, realistic tests is foundational to our national security," Gen. S.L. Davis, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, said in the statement. "This launch verifies the health and readiness of our ICBM force, confirming the capability of every component of the ICBM enterprise, from our operators to the weapon system itself, to execute the mission."The statement does not specify where the test missile's payload landed, but a navigational warning published prior to the launch suggests it was headed for the U.S. military's typical target range at the U.S. Army's Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site in the Kwajalein Atoll, part of the Marshall Islands.
