The US Air Force destroyed a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile due to an anomaly during the last test in 2023

The US Air Force was unable to complete the last test of the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile in 2023. It had to be destroyed.

Here's What We Know

The intercontinental ballistic missile was launched as usual from the US Space Force base Vandenberg, California. The flight was terminated at around 03:06 (EDT) or 00:06 (PDT) due to an anomaly that occurred. Minuteman III was destroyed over the Pacific Ocean.

The US Air Force Global Strike Command does not specify the nature of the anomaly, only noting that it refers to any unforeseen event and can be caused by a variety of factors. That said, the aborted test provided valuable data for analysis.

This was the last test launch of Minuteman III in 2023. The U.S. Air Force intends to conduct additional test launches of unarmed intercontinental ballistic missiles in 2024. Vandenberg Base is the only place in the US where such tests can be conducted.

Source: AFGSC