US tests nuclear-capable missile, can strike at range of..., is capable of destroying...

In an massive display of military power, the United States Air Force successfully test-fired an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base recently. The ICBM, intended to be used for nuclear warhead delivery, travelled approximately 6,760 kilometers before splashing down near the Marshall Islands, south of the northeastern coast of Australia.

This test is one of the routine checks conducted by the US military to make its nuclear defence systems operational and trustworthy. The missile travelled at speed above 24,140 kilometers per hour. A video was released by the United States Air Force in which the missile illuminated the night sky as it travelled over the Pacific Ocean.

The Minuteman III is one of the most important components of what the US refers to as its "nuclear triad" — a defense system that comprises land-based missiles, submarine missiles, and in-flight bombers. The three components are collectively supposed to ensure the country is capable of responding to any major threat, whether from land, sea, or air.

"This ICBM test launch underscores the strength of the nation’s nuclear deterrent and the readiness of the ICBM leg of the triad," the US Global Strike Command said in a statement.

At present, the US has approximately 400 Minuteman III missiles that are poised for use on land. Besides these, the nation employs ballistic missile submarines — commonly referred to as "boomers" — to cruise the oceans, and its bomber planes are always ready to carry out conventional as well as nuclear attacks from the skies.

While the test was serious in nature, the US Air Force made clear that the launch was a routine one and was not related to any current conflicts or worldwide tensions.