The US Air Force revealed Wednesday that it terminated a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile during an earlier test launch after it had an anomaly mid-flight.
"Space Launch Delta 30 safely terminated an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile over the Pacific Ocean at 12:06 a.m. Pacific Time November 1, due to an anomaly during a test launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California," the release said.
Officials have detailed that an analysis group will investigate the cause of the launch mishap.
The launch analysis group will include representatives from Air Force Global Strike Command, the 377th Test and Evaluation Group, the 576th Flight Test Squadron, Space Launch Delta 30 Safety Office and Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, among other organizations.
"The command learns lessons from every test launch," the release further noted.
"Gathering data from the launch allows [Air Force Global Strike Command] to identify and correct any issues with the weapon system to ensure the Minuteman III’s continued reliability and accuracy."
The nuclear-capable minuteman III has proven essential to the US military arsenal, holding a range of about 6,000 miles and an ability to travel at 15,000 miles per hour. A total of roughly 400 missiles are stationed at bases in Wyoming, North Dakota and Montana.
The Air Force noted that the LGM-35A Sentinel will replace the Minuteman III ICBM by the mid-2030s, but until then, the Air Force is committed to ensuring Minuteman III remains a viable deterrent.