US test missile lands in Marshalls after cross Pacific flight

7:45 am on 5 October 2019

A missile launched as a test from the United States mainland has landed in Marshall Islands waters.

The US Air Force launched the unarmed Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missile from Vandenberg Base in California on Wednesday.

AP reports the test missile had an over 6,000-kilometre flight over the Pacific Ocean to Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshalls.

An Air Force Global Strike Command statement said such tests demonstrated the capability of the intercontinental ballistic missile system.

According to the statement, the test was not a response to world events or regional tensions.

This US Air Force handout photo shows an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launching during an operational test at 1:13 a.m. Pacific Time, October 2, 2019, at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

This US Air Force handout photo shows an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launching during an operational test at 1:13 a.m. Pacific Time, October 2, 2019, at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. Photo: Public Domain