The US Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) has carried out a “scheduled” test launch of an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The launch, named GT 255, took place on 3 March 2026 and included two test re-entry vehicles. It coincides with the ongoing US military activity in Iran, known as Operation Epic Fury.
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However, AFGSC stated that the launch is “not in response to world events,” but is part of a longstanding data-driven programme aimed at evaluating the operational capability and readiness of the Minuteman III fleet.
More than 300 similar launches have already been conducted to verify system performance.
In May last year, AFGSC conducted another successful test launch of an unarmed Minuteman III ICBM from Vandenberg intended to confirm safety and effectiveness of US nuclear deterrent forces.
During the latest flight, the missile’s re-entry vehicles travelled thousands of miles to pre-selected targets at Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.
The operation allowed engineers and weapons experts from the 377th Test and Evaluation Group (TEG) to collect information on accuracy and reliability.
The 576th Flight Test Squadron commander lieutenant colonel Karrie Wray said: “GT 255 allowed us to assess the performance of individual components of the missile system. By continually assessing varying mission profiles, we are able to enhance the performance of the entire ICBM fleet, ensuring the maximum level of readiness for the land-based leg of the nation’s nuclear triad.”
Personnel from multiple government entities contributed to this operation, including airmen from the 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota providing maintenance support.
Operators from all three missile wings carried out launch operations.
Data gathered during GT 255 will be distributed among stakeholders such as the Department of Defense, Department of Energy, and US Strategic Command for ongoing force development evaluation.
Air Force Global Strike Command, commander general S.L. Davis said: “The data we gather ensures our long-range strike capabilities are not just a theoretical concept, but a proven, reliable, and lethal force, ready to defend the nation at a moment’s notice.”
The Minuteman III ICBM stands 59 feet 10 inches tall, weighs 78,000 pounds, and has a maximum diameter of six feet.
Built by Boeing, it can travel over 6,000 miles at speeds up to 15,000 mph and reach altitudes up to 700 miles above Earth’s surface. It is capable of carrying one to three MK-12 or MK-12A warheads.
The test comes as media outlets have reported Iran’s first operational use of its Fattah-2 hypersonic missile during current combat activities.
A video circulating online and shared by Chinese state broadcaster CGTN purports to show the launch of the Fattah-2 missile.
Turkiye Today, citing Iranian officials, reported that the Fattah-2 can reach speeds of up to Mach 15 and has an estimated range of about 1,500km.
