US Military to Test-Fire Hypersonic Nuclear Missile Amid Heightened Tensions.
According to a report in Express UK, the launch of the unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile is expected to take place between 11:01 pm and 5:01 am (local time) from the US state of California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base.
US military officials have stated that the test will be conducted to exhibit the “readiness of nuclear US forces” and provide “confidence in the nation’s nuclear deterrence.” They have also stressed that the test launch has nothing to do with the presidential elections, as it was scheduled years in advance and is a routine procedure.
The missile’s journey will be nothing short of breathtaking, as it is expected to travel a staggering 4,200 miles from its US base to Kwajalein Atoll—a small island in the North Pacific. To put this distance into perspective, it is roughly the same as the distance between London and New Delhi, which the missile will cover in just 22 minutes.
The timing of this test-fire has raised eyebrows, as it comes against the backdrop of rising tensions in various regions, including West Asia, Ukraine, and the Taiwan Strait.
In a related development, the FBI has revealed that fake bomb threats have been made to polling locations in several states, many of which appear to originate from Russian email domains.
Additionally, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has blamed a Russian operation for two non-credible bomb threats that prompted an evacuation of two Fulton County polling places.
As the US navigates the delicate balance between national security and the integrity of its democratic process, the upcoming hypersonic missile test has become a topic of intense scrutiny and debate.
