Vandenberg terminates unarmed missile test

The 30th Space Wing safely terminated a test launch over the Pacific Ocean Tuesday morning.

According to officials, the 30th Space Wing terminated the unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile over the Pacific Ocean at 4:42 a.m. PDT Tuesday due to an anomaly.

An anomaly is any unexpected event during the test. Since anomalies may arise from many factors relating to the operational platform itself, or the test equipment, careful analysis is needed to identify the cause. A Launch Analysis Group is forming to investigate the cause, officials said.

The test launches are routine and are used to identify and correct any issues with the weapon system to ensure the Minuteman III’s continued reliability and accuracy.