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

The U.S. tests the Minuteman III missile, a key nuclear deterrent, amid rising tensions with Iran and global security concerns.

The United States has carried out a test launch of the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), often referred to as the “doomsday missile”, at a time when tensions with Iran remain high.

The Air Force Global Strike Command of the U.S. said the test took place on Tuesday (March 3, 2026) from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. In a statement issued on Wednesday (March 4, 2026), the U.S. Air Force Command noted that the missile, carrying two re-entry vehicles, travelled several thousand miles before reaching its planned impact zone near the Marshall Islands in the west‑central Pacific Ocean.

An operational test launch of an @AFGlobalStrike unarmed Minuteman III ICBM is scheduled from north VSFB between 11:01 pm on March 3 - 5:01 am PST on March 4. This test is routine & was scheduled years in advance.@US_STRATCOM | @usairforce | @SLDelta30https://t.co/ujiqxgavaQ

The statement said that the launch had been scheduled years in advance and was not linked to any ongoing global developments. The U.S. Space Force said the test formed part of a long‑running programme that involves more than 300 similar launches intended to assess the reliability and readiness of the system. According to the statement, data gathered from these routine tests supports current and future force planning.

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The Minuteman III is an intercontinental ballistic missile and forms one of the three pillars of the United States’ nuclear triad. The other two components are strategic bombers, which include aircraft such as the B‑52 Stratofortress and B‑2 Spirit, and submarine‑launched ballistic missiles deployed on U.S. Navy submarines.