WEBVTT

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Air Force Global Strike Command airmen

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conducted an operational test launch of

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an unarmed Minuteman 3 intercontinental

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ballistic missile from Vandenberg Space

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Force Base February 19th to demonstrate

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the readiness of the US nuclear forces

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and provide confidence in the lethality

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and effectiveness of our nation's

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nuclear deterrent . Today's test launch

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used a randomly selected

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intercontinental ballistic missile

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pulled from FE Warren Air Force Base ,

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Wyoming . The missile was transported

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more than 1300 miles and reassembled at

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Vandenberg Space Force Base ,

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California . The ICBM was equipped with

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a single telemetered joint test

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assembly reentry vehicle and traveled

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approximately 4200 miles at a speed of

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more than 15,000 MPH to a test range

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near the Quajale and atoll in the

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Marshall Islands . The ICBM test and

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evaluation program helps validate the

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reliability , the nuclear umbrella our

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allies and partners rely on ,

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eliminating the need to obtain their

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own nuclear weapons to counter

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potential adversaries . The 50 year old

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Minuteman 3 is based in Colorado ,

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Montana , Nebraska , North Dakota , and

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Wyoming and will be replaced by the LGM

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35A Sentinel . Reporting from

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Vandenberg Space Force Base , I am

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Staff Sergeant Joshua LeRoy .