All military powers experience new hypersonic and maneuverable devices. But no renunciation of the so-called “ICBM”, the Nazi-Soviet idea which, without heads on board, also brought the Americans to space. That yesterday they returned to use them to “hit” a polygon in the Marshall Islands
The US space forces They declared that the experimental launch of a new intercontinental missile occurred yesterday evening (the first Italian morning) was planned months in advance and “It was not an answer to current world events”. However, even if the missile was disarmed, it would have been a “Demonstration of promptness” of the US nuclear arsenal. It was the Rocket vector of a minuteman III missile launched by the base of Vandenberg, California, which has traveled 6,760 kilometers before impacting an inert target inside the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site of the American army, in the atoll of Kwajaleinin the archipelago of Marshall Islands.
Power, strategy and future of the Minuteman III
The launch was supervised by Global Strike Command of the US Air Force who collaborated with the units of 90th Wing missile (the Operational Department) of the base Warren, Wyomingand del 341 ° Wing missile of the aeronautical base of Malmmstrom Air ForceIn the Montana. The officers in command of the Global Strike Command praised the staff who supported the test, whose goal was to demonstrate nuclear skills “terrestrial“, Or part of the what is called the “Nuclear triad” and which includes the missiles launched by submarines and come on airplanes.
The general Thomas Bussierecommander of the global strike command of the USAF, in a Space Force declaration said: “This test launch underlines that the safeguarding of our territory is maintained by specialists who guarantee the safety of the nation and its allies.” he alluded to the Technicians, radar operators, helicopter pilots in reconnaissance, responsible for the observation and tracking stations involved in the operation, or approximately 120 people.
As for the missile Minuteman IIIit is expected that it is gradually withdrawn from the service by 2030 and replaced by a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) known as LGM-35 Sentineldeveloped by Northrop Gumman. Such ballistic missiles are powered by rocket motors; they leave the earth’s atmosphere before returning to you through non -motorized descents and in their parabolic flight they can travel over 5,500 kilometers. On board they can be transported Multiple independent newspapers (MIRV)each containing a nuclear head.
Historical origins and global developments
However, in accordance with the armament reduction treaties currently in force, according to USAF i Minuteman III have not transported more nuclear newspapers since 2014. Most of the carriers used today travels ballistic trajectories (in free fall), but the armed forces from all over the world are developing and testing New types capable of traveling at hypersonic speeds (several times the speed of sound), and of maneuvering for their goalsfeature that makes them much more difficult to contrast.
However, the idea of creating intercontinental ballistic missiles was not American: the First ICBM in history was developed by the Soviet Union who launched him in May 1957 (technical name R-7 Semyorka) using the same missile technology that sent the first artificial satellite to the world in orbit, it Sputnik. And they too took a cue from V-2 (technical name A-4) Germans developed by Nazi Germany In the 1930s and forties under the direction of the famous scientist Wernher von Braun. The first successful launch of a V-2 rocket took place October 3, 1942while the program entered its operational phase the September 6, 1944 first with an attack on Paristhen two days later with direct launches towards London. By the end of the Second World War in Europe (May 1945), in everything were launched more than 3,000 units of V-2.
Recently from the territory Yemenita ballistic missiles were launched towards Israelbut the greatest “ballistic” attack that remembers took place the 1st October 2024when the Iranian revolutionary guard He launched about 200 missiles just against Israel from a distance of about 1,500 kilometers. These missiles used about 15 minutes to arrive in the final phase of the trajectory, coming largely neutralized by Israeli defensive systems. It was Iranian missiles made and Kheybar Shekanboth with a range of about 1,400 kmderived from projects Soviets and modernized with technology Chinese and North Korean.
The United States they launched theirs first ICBM A few months after the USSR. Their rocket was known as SM-65 Atlasand some advanced versions of this project would then launch the Astronauts of the Mercury program. Among these were there Atlas-Centour which flew beyond 40 yearsderived directly from the SM-65, and it Atlas V from the United Launch Alliancestill in service today.
