Current Affairs - International - Discussion

The United States conducted the Minuteman III ICBM test (GT-254) from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, on November 5, 2025. The test involved launching an unarmed missile toward the central Pacific near the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site (Kwajalein Atoll) to validate reliability, accuracy, and readiness of the US land-based nuclear deterrent. The launch also verified the Airborne Launch Control System (ALCS) using an E-6B aircraft, ensuring redundant command-and-control capability. While the timing drew global attention due to concurrent nuclear policy debates, US officials clarified that it was a routine operational readiness test supporting strategic stability and deterrence credibility.