An unarmed Minuteman III ICBM test launch takes place Oct. 2, 2019, at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. (Staff Sgt. J.T. Armstrong/U.S. Air Force via AP)
Defense News: Is the US about to test a new ballistic missile?
WASHINGTON — The U.S. may be set to test a new ground-launched ballistic missile in the coming weeks, the first test of that particular weapon since the country withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty earlier this year.
In March, Pentagon officials told reporters that they intend to test an intermediate range ballistic missile in the November time frame. At the annual Defense News Conference in September, Robert Soofer, deputy assistant secretary of defense for policy for nuclear and missile defense, confirmed that the Pentagon is roughly on track for that test.
“I do believe it is still the plan to conduct a ballistic missile test before the end of the year," he said then.
Asked about Soofer’s comments and whether those tests are still planned, Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Robert Carver could not “confirm or deny a test will take place in November. I am unable to provide any details on testing dates, times or locations.”
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WNU editor: After the U.S. withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty earlier this year, the expectation was for a test to occur within a year or two of a new intermediate range missile. It looks like the test is going to happen sooner rather than later. But while there is progress for a new intermediate missile, apparently there are a lot of problems in developing a new long range ballistic missile .... $85B Nuclear Missile Competition Gets Messier as Feds Investigate Northrop (Defense One).
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