Air Force test fires missile from Calif coast

[David]

AP


VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – The Air Force says it has successfully launched an unarmed Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missile from a California base, firing it to targets in the Pacific Ocean.

Lt. Raymond Geoffroy (JEFF-rey) said the ICBM was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base at 3:01 a.m. Monday.

He said it carried three unarmed re-entry vehicles that hit their targets near the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, some 4,200 miles away.

On clear mornings, missile launchings from Vandenberg can be seen as far away as Los Angeles, 140 miles to the southeast, but fog along the coast made Monday's launch difficult to see even in the immediate area, Geoffroy said.

The Air Force said the launch was an operational test to check the weapon system's reliability and accuracy.

Test data will be used by United States Strategic Command planners and Department of Energy laboratories.

[revwardoc]

How ironic that we test fired a missle shortly before North Korea plans to fire one of theirs, presumably at us. Bet ours is more accurate and can hit a zit on Kim Jong Il's butt. We can rattle a sword with the best of them.

When I was stationed in San Bernardino we could always tell when Vandenberg fired a shot; the sunrises/sunsets would be spectacular.

[82Rigger]

Dear North Korea,

Thought you'd like to know our ICBMs still work.

See you soon!

Sincerely,


The US Air Force