The United States has test-fired an unarmed intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) following President Donald Trump’s recent call to restart nuclear weapons testing, marking the country’s most significant strategic missile test. The move makes the U.S. the fifth nation to have tested an ICBM since 2024, signaling heightened global nuclear competition amid intensifying geopolitical rivalries.
The LGM-30G Minuteman III, a Cold War-era nuclear-capable missile, was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on November 5, under the command of the Air Force Global Strike Command. The missile — codenamed GT 254 — traveled over 6,700 kilometers before splashing down near the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site in the Marshall Islands.
Officials said the purpose of the launch was to validate the missile system’s reliability, accuracy, and readiness — the cornerstone of America’s land-based nuclear deterrent.
“GT 254 is not just a launch – it’s a comprehensive assessment to verify and validate the ICBM system’s ability to perform its critical mission,” said Lt. Col. Karrie Wray, commander of the 576th Flight Test Squadron. “The data collected during the test is invaluable in ensuring the continued reliability and accuracy of the ICBM weapon system.”
According to the Vandenberg Space Force Base, the reentry vehicle from the missile’s unarmed warhead “traveled approximately 4,200 miles (6,759 kilometers) to the U.S. Army’s Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at the Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.”
The Minuteman III, first deployed in 1970, remains the only land-based ICBM in the U.S. arsenal. Despite its age, the missile continues to play a pivotal role in the U.S. nuclear triad — alongside submarine-launched ballistic missiles and strategic bombers.
Over the decades, the Minuteman III has undergone extensive modernization programs to ensure operational reliability through the 2030s. The system’s most recent test, GT 254, is part of a broader effort to sustain the missile fleet’s credibility until its successor, the LGM-35A Sentinel, enters service later this decade.
“As we modernize to the Sentinel weapon system, we must continue to maintain the readiness of the existing Minuteman III fleet,” said Gen. S.L. Davis, commander of the Air Force Global Strike Command. “GT 254 helps fulfill that commitment, ensuring its continued accuracy and reliability.”
The Sentinel, under development by Northrop Grumman, will replace the Minuteman III as the next-generation ground-based strategic deterrent. However, with the Sentinel still years away from operational readiness, the Minuteman III remains the United States’ only active ICBM.
The U.S. ICBM fleet currently includes 400 missiles deployed across three missile wings: the 90th Missile Wing at F.E. Warren Air Force Base (Wyoming), the 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom AFB (Montana), and the 91st Missile Wing at Minot AFB (North Dakota). Each Minuteman III missile can travel over 6,000 miles at speeds reaching 15,000 mph (Mach 23) — fast enough to reach Moscow or Beijing within minutes.
The launch comes just a week after President Donald Trump directed the U.S. military to prepare for the resumption of nuclear weapons testing, potentially ending a de facto moratorium that has been in place since 1992. While the GT 254 test did not involve a live nuclear warhead, the timing underscores Washington’s renewed emphasis on nuclear readiness.
Analysts say Trump’s stance reflects a desire to demonstrate strength amid increasing nuclear assertiveness by Russia, China, and North Korea. Critics, however, warn that such moves could trigger a new nuclear arms race, undermining decades of non-proliferation efforts.
Adding to this modernization drive, defense analysts recently spotted a B-52 Stratofortress bomber flying over California, equipped with what appeared to be the AGM-181A Long-Range Standoff (LRSO) missile — a new-generation, nuclear-capable cruise missile being developed by Raytheon.
The LRSO is expected to replace the aging AGM-86B Air-Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) and will be deployed on both B-52H bombers and the forthcoming B-21 Raider stealth bomber. Its precise specifications remain classified, but U.S. officials describe it as a “critical component of America’s future air-delivered nuclear deterrent.”
- Global ICBM Testing Surge Since 2024
The U.S. is not alone in advancing ICBM capabilities. Since 2024, four other nuclear-armed countries — India, China, Russia, and North Korea — have conducted ICBM tests, reflecting the return of great-power nuclear competition. - India’s Agni-V and MIRV Leap
India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully tested its Agni-V ICBM in March 2024, incorporating Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle (MIRV) technology for the first time. This breakthrough allows a single missile to deliver multiple nuclear warheads to different targets hundreds of kilometers apart — a hallmark of advanced nuclear powers. - The Agni-V, a three-stage solid-fueled missile with an estimated range of 5,000–8,000 km, places India among a select group of nations with MIRV capability — joining the U.S., Russia, China, France, and the U.K. India conducted another successful test in August 2025, validating operational readiness under the Strategic Forces Command.
- China’s Pacific Launch
In September 2024, China conducted a rare ICBM test over the Pacific Ocean, its first launch in international waters since 1980. The missile, believed to be a DF-31AG, traveled between 7,000 and 11,700 kilometers, capable of striking most of the continental United States. The test, according to Beijing’s Defense Ministry, was “a routine training activity in compliance with international law.” - North Korea’s Expanding Reach
North Korea tested an ICBM in October 2024 and again in September 2025, continuing its pursuit of missiles capable of hitting the U.S. mainland. Both launches demonstrated the range and power of Pyongyang’s long-range capabilities, intensifying regional tensions in East Asia. - Russia’s Nuclear Display
Meanwhile, Russia conducted a series of nuclear forces exercises in October 2024, overseen personally by President Vladimir Putin. The drills included the launch of a Yars ICBM, a Sineva submarine-launched ballistic missile, and air-launched cruise missiles. More strikingly, Moscow test-fired its Burevestnik — a nuclear-powered, nuclear-capable cruise missile — claiming it traveled 14,000 km in a 15-hour flight. Putin later asserted that the Burevestnik has an “unlimited range” and can evade all existing missile defenses. - ICBM Balance and Global Nuclear Triad
According to the latest estimates, China now leads in ICBM deployment numbers, with approximately 462 missiles, surpassing both the United States (400) and Russia (333). However, the U.S. maintains superior command-and-control infrastructure and global delivery capability through its nuclear triad, which integrates land-based missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and air-delivered nuclear weapons.
Russia operates six distinct ICBM types, including the RS-28 Sarmat, Topol-M, and Avangard hypersonic glide vehicles. China fields at least five, among them the DF-41, DF-31AG, and JL-3 SLBM. In contrast, the U.S. remains dependent on its single Minuteman III platform — underscoring the urgency behind the Sentinel program.
Defense experts view the GT 254 test as both a technical validation and a strategic message. It reaffirms U.S. capability to deliver global nuclear strikes and maintain deterrence, particularly as adversaries advance their own arsenals.
“Every test of the Minuteman III sends a message: the U.S. deterrent is alive, reliable, and capable,” said a senior Pentagon analyst. “Even as modernization continues, maintaining the operational credibility of existing systems is vital.”
However, the convergence of multiple ICBM tests worldwide — along with growing rhetoric about nuclear modernization — has sparked fears of a new nuclear arms race. Analysts warn that as nations modernize and expand their arsenals, the delicate balance of deterrence could become increasingly unstable.
Until the Sentinel ICBM becomes operational in the early 2030s, the Minuteman III will continue to anchor America’s strategic deterrence posture. The Air Force emphasizes that regular test launches like GT 254 are essential for ensuring the missile’s readiness in a changing global security environment.
The latest U.S. ICBM test reflects a sobering truth: five decades after its introduction, the Minuteman III still stands as both a symbol of deterrence — and a reminder of the enduring shadow of nuclear warfare.
