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California Fires Missile in Direction Of North Korea



Jun 29, 2009 10 Comments ›› Pat Dollard

minuteman3launchusaf

Related: North Korea To Fire Missile At Hawaii On 4th Of July

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AP) – The Air Force has successfully launched an unarmed Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missile from the California coast to an area in the Pacific Ocean some 4,200 miles away.

Lt. Raymond Geoffroy says the ICBM was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base at 3:01 a.m. Monday and carried three unarmed re-entry vehicles to their targets near the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

The missile, configured with a National Nuclear Security Administration Test Assembly, was launched under the direction of the 576th Flight Test Squadron.

The Air Force says the launch was an operational test to check the weapon system’s reliability and accuracy, and the data will be used by United States Strategic Command planners and Department of Energy laboratories.


  • Chuck

    But we’re not to believe these systems will work right?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COl4soeox6Y

  • AFITgrad86

    Take from this test what you will. The truth is we randomly select missiles from the existing inventory and test fire them to determine reliability not only of the missile, but the entire system.

    The Minuteman III has long been a staple of our nuclear arsenal and it is essential that we test these systems periodically to make sure they are aging well.

  • Steele

    Good. Maybe now we won’t see North Korea doing their Mad TV impression of Stuart’s “Hey! Look what I can do!”

    But what this article doesn’t say, but an AP one does is that the missile was configured with a National Nuclear Security Administration Test Assembly, that was also installed with tracking and command destruct systems on it to collect data and meet safety requirements. The 30th Space Wing commander’s statment on the launch was “It’s really something when you see a truly outstanding team come together.” “I couldn’t think of a better team to demonstrate the awesome capability of our ICBM fleet.”

    Interesting comment on a “routine” operational test, at an interesting time, and for an interesting distance (4,200 miles).

    It also marks the last time the USAF Space Command will be in charge of such tests. The fuction has now been absorbed by the newly created Global Strike Command.

    • Hawkerdriver(Pisson the Koran)

      “It also marks the last time the USAF Space Command will be in charge of such tests. The fuction has now been absorbed by the newly created Global Strike Command.” :roll:

      … Any term with the word Global in it makes my agent orange act up…

  • MinneSoCold

    I’m surprised Obambi didn’t have it fly-over New York City.

    • CPLViper

      :lol: Thanks for for making me smile with that one.

  • Birdddog

    :beer: Knock knock Kim Jong Ill :gun:

  • http://www.ahrcanum.com ahrcanum

    NK is going to perceive this as a first pre-emptive strike. They were complaining about the radar deployed to HI, this ought to get their attention.

  • Jeff

    Kwajalein Atoll is not in the direction of North Korea from Lompoc, California. Unless I am missing something.

    • http://www.jihadwatch.org LCpl. Alexander

      LOL man, no, youre not missing anything. NK is almost exactly due west from CA, the atolls are much farther south.