US Military Tests ICBM Hours After Beijing Parades Missiles Through Tiananmen Square

Mere hours after the latest missile test by North Korea and Beijing’s parading of its ICBM arsenal through Tiananmen Square during the 70th anniversary celebration of Communist Party rule, the US military decided to carry out a missile test of its own on Wednesday, testing an unarmed Minuteman III ICBM.

The Minuteman was launched from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 1:13 am Pacific Time. The missile, which was equipped with a ‘reentry vehicle’, traveled 6,750 kilometers across the Pacific Ocean before touching down on the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, according to the Air Force Global Strike Command.

A photo of the test shows the missile in a brilliant purple hue.

“The test demonstrates that the United States’ nuclear deterrent is robust, flexible, ready and appropriately tailored to deter 21st century threats and reassure our allies,” the AFGSC said. “Test launches are not a response or reaction to world events or regional tensions.”

Meanwhile, Channel News Asia reports that the US has spent billions of dollars on developing a system for intercepting ballistic missiles fired at US territory, and hopes to step up testing in the coming weeks and months.

North Korea infamously tested one of its submarine-based ballistic missiles shortly after declaring the resumption of talks with the US.

The two sides will have “preliminary contact” on Friday and begin negotiations on Saturday.

Watch video of the launch below: