A group from the 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom AFB, Mont., managed the launch of an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile from Vandenberg AFB, Calif., early Wednesday morning. The test launch was the second in a week because the April 26 test had been rescheduled due to brush fires on the range, according to an Air Force Global Strike Command spokesperson. The Air Force routinely selects a Minuteman III missile from its fleet and a crew from across AFGSC to conduct a test launch. “It’s efforts like these that make nuclear deterrence effective,” said Col. Craig Ramsey, 576th Flight Test Squadron commander, according to a press release.
The U.S. strike on Iran's nuclear development facilities saw the first use of the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, a weapon specifically designed for such a mission more than 20 years ago. The Air Force B-2s were the only platform with the stealth and carrying capacity needed to haul the huge…