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U.S. test-fires ICBMs to stress its power to Russia, North Korea
Reuters ^ | 26 Feb, 2016 | VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, CALIF. | BY DAVID ALEXANDER

Posted on 02/26/2016 9:32:52 PM PST by MtnClimber

The U.S. military test-fired its second intercontinental ballistic missile in a week on Thursday night, seeking to demonstrate its nuclear arms capacity at a time of rising strategic tensions with Russia and North Korea.

The unarmed Minuteman III missile roared out of a silo at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California late at night, raced across the sky at speeds of up to 15,000 mph (24,000 kph) and landed a half hour later in a target area 4,200 miles (6,500 km) away near Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands of the South Pacific.

Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work, who witnessed the launch, said the U.S. tests, conducted at least 15 times since January 2011, send a message to strategic rivals like Russia, China and North Korea that Washington has an effective nuclear arsenal.

"That's exactly why we do this," Work told reporters before the launch.

"We and the Russians and the Chinese routinely do test shots to prove that the operational missiles that we have are reliable. And that is a signal ... that we are prepared to use nuclear weapons in defense of our country if necessary."

Demonstrating the reliability of the nuclear force has taken on additional importance recently because the U.S. arsenal is near the end of its useful life and a spate of scandals in the nuclear force two years ago raised readiness questions.

(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...


TOPICS: Education; Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: icbm
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1 posted on 02/26/2016 9:32:52 PM PST by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

Nuclear forces at end of life. Seems like an 0bama plan.


2 posted on 02/26/2016 9:34:02 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber
Was there something in Hillary's mails about our nukes being in poor repair?

Or did access to her emails & other hacking exploits unknown to us, allow our enemies to find out that our nuclear triad is shooting blanks?

I mean, I don't remember constant test firing of Minutemen missiles under Reagan to send a message...

3 posted on 02/26/2016 9:35:21 PM PST by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
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To: MtnClimber

The DPRK and Russia are not afraid of Obama or Clinton.


4 posted on 02/26/2016 9:38:33 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (TED CRUZ 2016)
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To: MtnClimber

Pretty cool.

5 posted on 02/26/2016 9:39:33 PM PST by UnwashedPeasant (A slave is one who waits for someone to come and free him.)
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To: MtnClimber

like threatening to nuke Russia and etcetera... is supposed to accomplish just exactly what for America? just curious...
(they already know we still got some nukes.. at least I think we do, O hasn’t been able to dismantle them all yet... )


6 posted on 02/26/2016 9:43:04 PM PST by faithhopecharity ("Politicians are not born, they're excreted." Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 -- 43 BCE))
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To: MtnClimber
I used to live and work on Kwajalein. I got to watch the missiles incoming on several occasions, often 2 to 4 at a time. It's a sobering sight.
7 posted on 02/26/2016 9:44:07 PM PST by DeakonSmith
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To: MtnClimber

Our nuclear arsenal is NOT at the end of its life or even at the middle of its life. It is alive and well..... Presstitute David Alexander is a liar. Joint Test Assemblies JTA’s are test warheads routinely tested by throwing em at the atoll’s of Kwajalein to check all systems used for all current inventory. These tests provide real world launches from both land base silos and submarines. Crews are drawn at random to prepare, load, fire etc... a few months ago we saw a sub launch at night that freaked out the west coast. Routine.... keeps the crews frosty and tells the bad guys merica ain’t messing around.

Stay Safe !


8 posted on 02/26/2016 9:49:51 PM PST by Squantos ( Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everyone you meet ...)
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To: DeakonSmith

I imagine so!


9 posted on 02/26/2016 9:50:12 PM PST by null and void (This is "They live", and most people would rather fight you than put on the glasses...)
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To: DeakonSmith

Rat Namur ...... EOD Resort !


10 posted on 02/26/2016 9:51:56 PM PST by Squantos ( Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everyone you meet ...)
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To: MtnClimber

We’ll meet again, don’t know where, don’t know when.


11 posted on 02/26/2016 9:58:05 PM PST by kaehurowing
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To: MtnClimber

Pathetic sign of impotence.


12 posted on 02/26/2016 10:01:04 PM PST by allendale
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To: Squantos
I used to work on the Pershing 1A and Pershing II programs. In 30 plus years our missile technology has not advanced much, but our ballistic missile defense has improved immensely. Thanks Ronnie Raygun!
13 posted on 02/26/2016 10:04:40 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

He’s getting ready for the end...of his term?


14 posted on 02/26/2016 10:13:43 PM PST by onedoug
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To: MtnClimber
Many years ago I worked on experimental navigational systems that replaced 1950's era mechanical gyros with fiber optic "ring gyros". Several years later I Googled for "ring gyro" and noted that all the white papers written since originated from China.

The implications were sobering to me.

15 posted on 02/26/2016 10:22:51 PM PST by The Duke ( Azealia Banks)
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To: The Duke
Many years ago I worked on experimental navigational systems that replaced 1950's era mechanical gyros with fiber optic "ring gyros". Several years later I Googled for "ring gyro" and noted that all the white papers written since originated from China.

The implications were sobering to me.

Clinton (and most of his Admin) should have been tried for Treason long ago.

16 posted on 02/26/2016 10:34:30 PM PST by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
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To: The Duke

The left hates the USA and will sell us out when given the chance.


17 posted on 02/26/2016 10:42:47 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: grey_whiskers
I mean, I don't remember constant test firing of Minutemen missiles under Reagan to send a message...

Back during the Reagan administration each Minuteman wing, there were six at that time, launched one or two missiles per year. These tests are called Follow On Test & Evaluation, FOT&E, shots. The FOT&E program has been doing this from the time the missiles first went on Alert through today.

18 posted on 02/26/2016 11:12:20 PM PST by OldMissileer (Atlas, Titan, Minuteman, PK. Winners of the Cold War)
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To: MtnClimber

oh great! yet another recruitment tool for isis! /sarc


19 posted on 02/26/2016 11:24:08 PM PST by lonster
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To: MtnClimber

Not mentioned in the article is that the missile used in the FOT&E program is randomly drawn from one on active operational alert which is then back filled with a replacement. It is transported to Vandenberg, equipped with telemetry, etc., and launched from a test silo. Operations, maintenance, munitions and others all get enhanced realistic training.


20 posted on 02/26/2016 11:29:09 PM PST by Skybird (Missileers--Victors in the Cold War)
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