An unarmed ballistic missile was successfully test launched from the Central Coast Wednesday morning, but the Air Force says it wasn’t a response to recent North Korean actions.
The Minuteman III missile lifted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base at 2:48 a.m. The missile deployed a test payload off of the Marshall Islands in the South Pacific, some 4200 miles away. Air Force officials say it was the latest in a series of ongoing tests to insure the readiness of equipment, and crews. A flight crew from F.E. Warren Air Force base in Wyoming conducted the flight from Vandenberg.
In a statement, Air Force officials say while the mission wasn’t a direct response to recent North Korean missile tests, today’s flight demonstrates the U.S. is ready to defend against potential attacks.