Photo By Staff Sgt. Michael Richmond | 377th Test and Evaluation Group missile operators conduct mission operations at...... read more read more
F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo. -- Over the course of 45 days, a team of 11 90th Missile Maintenance Squadron (90 MMXS) personnel orchestrated the transport of 16 individual components of a 79,000‑pound, unarmed Air Force Global Strike Command Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile from F.E. Warren Air Force Base, to Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. The logistics operation, which spanned 1,287 miles, was executed through a series of carefully coordinated dispatches.
“My team and I completed a full de-posture of a launch facility,” said Staff Sgt. Brandon Sanders, 90 MMXS missile maintenance team chief. “This was broken down into three dispatches to site. Day one, we started the disassembly process by removing the re-entry system, missile guidance system, and propulsion system rocket engine. Day two, we assisted the Missile Handling Team with removing the downstages. Day three, we transported the smaller explosives - ballistic gas generators, explosive bolts, retract, and jumper. We encounter challenges on a daily basis when doing maintenance, however, we always persevere and finish the job.”
Once the components arrived at Vandenberg SFB, the 90 MMXS assembled them for an operational test launch, which took place at 1 a.m. PST on Feb. 19, 2025.
Planned five years in advance and occurring three times annually, these operational test launches do not only validate both the U.S. military’s global strike capability and its core mission readiness, but they are also critical for evaluating performance.
“The primary purpose of these operational test launches is to obtain data that is only available through flight tests,” said Maj. Zachary Dennis, 377th Test and Evaluation Group chief of standardization and evaluation. “The data provides operational realism for the reentry vehicle re-entering the atmosphere and the downstage flying through the atmosphere. This data supports the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center and AFGSC in assessing the reliability and accuracy of the Minuteman III.”
While reflecting on the operational impact of the test launch, Sanders added “…testing the weapon system and allowing our maintainers to see it in action brings motivation to continue to do our job and be proud while doing it. Many years later, the Minuteman III remains a reliable deterrent and will continue to be.”
Col. Johnny Galbert, 90th Missile Wing commander, emphasized the broader strategic significance of the test launch:
“For the broader U.S. deterrence mission, this launch signifies our ICBM leg of the (nuclear) triad continues to remain credible and capable…the hard work and effort that goes into operating, maintaining, and securing this weapon system was on full display at Vandenberg (SFB). The men and women of the Mighty Ninety are extremely proud of this critical mission.”
With approximately 250 launches conducted to date - including various test types beyond the operational test launches - these exercises continue to be a cornerstone in validating and refining the capabilities of the U.S. military’s nuclear deterrence mission. The combined efforts of the 90 MMXS, 90 MW, Vandenberg SFB and AFGSC ensure that the nation remains poised to respond at a moment’s notice.
| Date Taken: | 02.24.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 02.24.2025 18:04 |
| Story ID: | 491414 |
| Location: | F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, WYOMING, US |
| Web Views: | 152 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Precision in Motion: 90th Missile Wing Successfully Executes Unarmed Minuteman III Test Launch, by SSgt Michael Richmond, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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