Minuteman III: ‘doomsday’ missile of U.S. amid escalating war tensions with Iran

The United States has carried retired a trial motorboat of the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic rocket (ICBM), often referred to arsenic the “doomsday missile”, astatine a clip erstwhile tensions with Iran stay high.

The Air Force Global Strike Command of the U.S. said the trial took spot connected Tuesday (March 3, 2026) from the Vandenberg Space Force Base successful California. In a connection issued connected Wednesday (March 4, 2026), the U.S. Air Force Command noted that the missile, carrying 2 re-entry vehicles, travelled respective 1000 miles earlier reaching its planned interaction portion adjacent the Marshall Islands successful the west‑central Pacific Ocean.

The connection said that the motorboat had been scheduled years successful beforehand and was not linked to immoderate ongoing planetary developments. The U.S. Space Force said the trial formed portion of a long‑running programme that involves much than 300 akin launches intended to measure the reliability and readiness of the system. According to the statement, information gathered from these regular tests supports existent and aboriginal unit planning.

Also work | Iran-Israel warfare LIVE

What is the Minuteman III?

The Minuteman III is an intercontinental ballistic rocket and forms 1 of the 3 pillars of the United States’ atomic triad. The different 2 components are strategical bombers, which see craft specified arsenic the B‑52 Stratofortress and B‑2 Spirit, and submarine‑launched ballistic missiles deployed connected U.S. Navy submarines.

The rocket is nuclear‑capable and typically fitted with a azygous Mark 21 high‑fidelity re‑entry vehicle. It has agelong been regarded arsenic a cardinal constituent of the U.S. strategical deterrent. With a scope exceeding 6,000 miles and speeds of astir 15,000 miles per hour, it is designed to scope targets crossed continents wrong minutes.

Missiles are positioned successful reinforced underground silos that are intended to withstand attacks. Each silo is connected to a subterranean motorboat power centre done hardened connection lines.

Why it is called a ‘doomsday’ missile?

The Minuteman III is often described arsenic a “doomsday” rocket due to the fact that of the devastating consequences associated with a atomic strike, peculiarly the wide radiation fallout that could render ample areas uninhabitable.

It is the lone land‑based, silo‑deployed, nuclear‑capable ballistic rocket presently successful the U.S. arsenal and is designed for accelerated effect successful the lawsuit of a atomic attack. As an ICBM, it tin transverse continents astatine hypersonic speeds and tin scope astir immoderate determination successful the world.

The rocket is susceptible of carrying aggregate independently targetable re‑entry vehicles, which let a azygous motorboat to onslaught respective locations. Although the strategy tin clasp up to 3 warheads, the existent Minuteman III carries lone one, successful enactment with a atomic arms simplification statement with Russia.