In Warning To North Korea, US Releases Video Of Overnight Minuteman ICBM Launch

As previewed last night, at 2:10am PT, the U.S. military successfully test-launched an unarmed Intercontinental Ballistic Missile from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, about 130 miles northwest of Los Angeles, and just days after North Korea’s second test of an ICBM. An Air Force statement said that the test was not a response to recent North Korean actions, but shows that America"s nuclear enterprise is "safe, secure, effective and ready to be able to deter, detect and defend against attacks on the United States and its allies."

The launch is said to “validate and verify the effectiveness, readiness, and accuracy of the weapon system,” according to Colonel Michael Hough, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command’s 30th Air Wing.

“Team V is postured to work with Air Force Global Strike Command to test launch the Minuteman III missile,” Hough said in a statement. “Our long history in partnering with the men and women of the 576th Flight Test Squadron shows that the Western Range stands ready and able to create a safe launch environment.”

The ICBM was equipped with a test reentry vehicle - just like the previous three launches in 2017 - which officials said showed it traveled about 4,200 miles to the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. The operation was conducted by a team of Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen from the 90th Missile Wing, along with the 576th Flight Test Squadron and the 30th Space Wing stationed at Vandenberg.

This is the fourth Minuteman ICBM launched from the Vandenberg base this year. The first 2017 test took place in February, involving a Minuteman III that traveled to the Marshall Islands, carrying a non-explosive warhead. Another test was conducted by the Air Force on April 26. Days later, a third test missile launched from Vandenberg base.

Air Force Global Strike Command has tested 299 Minuteman III ICBMs over the program"s history. The Minuteman IIIs are the U.S. military"s only land-based ICBMs. And while some have suggested that the launches are in direct retaliation to the recent NKorea ICBM launch, the U.S. military schedules four test-launches each fiscal year, with the actual schedule plotted out several years in advance, so it"s unrelated to recent events, Air Force Capt. Michele Rollins, a spokesperson for the strike command, told NBC.

Last week, North Korea tested an ICBM for the second time. The missile flew for 45 minutes and traveled more than 1,000 kilometers laterally, defense officials and analysts said. U.S. officials believe the missile broke up upon re-entering the atmosphere.

The Minuteman III ICBM launches during an operational  test at 2:10 a.m. PT
on Aug. 2, 2017, at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California

Analysts said that the North"s test Friday demonstrated that a broader part of the mainland United States, including Los Angeles and Chicago, is now in range of Pyongyang"s weapons. Asked about possible U.S. military action against North Korea, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders reiterated on Tuesday that "all options are on the table" but the administration would not "broadcast what we"re going to do."

The focus for the administration remains on stopping North Korea"s nuclear program and halting their aggression, Sanders said.

As we reported yesterday, Sen. Lindsey Graham said Tuesday that President Donald Trump has told him he"s willing to go to war over North Korea"s missile program if the rogue nation continues to aim ICBMs at America.

Meanwhile, Japanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Norio Maruyama said he was unaware of the remarks, but that his country was in favor of the Trump administration"s posture "using both words and action to show that all choices are on the table."

Separately, another longstanding ally in the region, the Philippines, is set to host an international regional security meeting on Monday, when leaders could pressure Pyongyang to halt its intermediate-range missile tests. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is expected to attend the meeting in Manila. On Wednesday, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte went on the attack against North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, whom he referred to in a speech as a "fool" and a "son of a bitch" according to Reuters.

"That chubby face that looks kind ... If he commits a mistake, the Far East will become an arid land," Duterte said. "It must be stopped, this nuclear war."

"A limited confrontation and it blows up here, I will tell you, the fallout can deplete the soil, the resources and I don"t know what will happen to us," he added. Duterte has previously called for the U.S. to show restraint in dealing with Kim"s totalitarian regime.

US To Test Fire ICBM Tonight That Can Reach North Korea

In a "Crocodile Dundee-esque" show of "that"s not a nuclear missile... this is a nuclear missile" one-upmanship, US military personnel will test fire the deadly (unarmed) Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile between 12:01 and 6:01 a.m. tonight from the north end of the Vandenberg Air Force Base near Lompoc in California.

Col John Moss, 30th Space Wing commander, will oversee the launch of the long range missile, saying:

"Team V is once again ready to work with Air Force Global Strike Command to successfully launch another Minuteman III missile.

These Minuteman launches are essential to verify the status of our national nuclear force and to demonstrate our national nuclear capabilities.

We are proud of our long history in partnering with the men and women of the 576th Flight Test Squadron to execute these missions for the nation."

Additionally, as The Daily Star reports, after President Trump branded North Korea "a real threat to the world," Col Deane Konowicz, the 625th Strategic Operations Squadron commander, said the test will send a message to enemies of the US...

"The Simulated Electronic Launch of a Minuteman III ICBM is a signal to the American people, our allies, and our adversaries that our ICBM capability is safe, secure, lethal and ready.

“It highlights the ground and airborne command and control elements of an electrically-isolated ICBM, demonstrating that our deployed ICBMs will respond to critical launch commands.”

The apparent hypocrisy of the escalated sabre-rattling is not lost on many, as The LA Times reports, The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, criticized the timing of the launch, citing heightened tension between the U.S. and North Korea.

“When it comes to missile testing, the U.S. is operating with a clear double standard: It views its own tests as justified and useful, while it views the tests of North Korea as threatening and destabilizing,” foundation president David Krieger said in a statement.

“What is needed is diplomacy rather than military provocations. Threats, whether in the form of tweets, nuclear-capable aircraft carrier groups, or nuclear-capable missile launches, only increase the dangers to us all.”

The Vandenberg test would be the second missile launched from the base this year.

 

Three Minuteman III missiles were launched in 2016, according to Lt. Col. Jason Turner, 2d Range Operations Squadron commander.

North Korea Launches Ballistic Missile, Tests Trump

With the news cycle clearly far less interested in Trump"s golf game or Abe"s handicap, just before 8am local time (6pm ET), North Korea decided to provide CNN with some "exciting" news when it fired a ballistic missile into the sea off its east coast, South Korea"s military said, in what was the latest test of Trump"s resolve to retaliate to North Korean provocations.

This was the first missile launch by North Korea since Donald Trump - who has repeatedly threatened of taking retaliatory measures against such an act - took office. The launch also comes just one day after the US Air Force test-fired a Minuteman ICBM from California.

Cited by Reuters, a US official said that while the U.S. military had detected the missile launch and was assessing it, it was probably not an intercontinental ballistic missile.

The missile was launched from an area named Panghyon in North Korea"s western region and flew about 500 kilometers (300 miles) before falling into the sea, the South"s Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in statements. "Our assessment is that it is part of a show of force in response to the new U.S. administration"s hardline position against the North," the office said.

#ROK military says #DPRK missile flew about 500km and fell into sea.

— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) February 12, 2017

The South"s military said Seoul and Washington were analyzing the details of the launch. Yonhap News Agency said the South Korean military is assessing the launch to confirm whether it was a Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile, which has a designed flight range of 3,000 kilometers (1,800 miles). The U.S. military also said it had detected a missile test launch by the North and was assessing it, according to a U.S. defense official in Washington.

Japan"s government said it had asked the UN to issue “a strong message” against North Korea for the latest provocation.

Japan gov’t says it’s asking #UN to issue “a strong message” against #DPRK for latest provocation.

— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) February 12, 2017

The North tried to launch a Musudan eight times last year during the Obama presidency, but most attempts failed. One launch that sent a missile 400 km (250 miles), more than half the distance to Japan, was considered a success by officials and experts in the South and the United States.

Sunday"s launch comes a day after Trump held a summit meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and said he agreed to work to ensure strong defense against North Korea"s threat. South Korea"s presidential Blue House said a National Security Council meeting was called and chaired by President Park Geun-hye"s top national security advisor.

One month ago, during his New Year speech, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said that the country was close to test-launching an intercontinental ballistic missile and state media said such a launch could come at any time, leading Trump to write on Twitter, “It won’t happen!” Trump did not give specifics of how he’d stop Kim’s missile development.

He may have to now.

At the time, Kim"s comments prompted a vow of an "overwhelming" response from U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis. North Korea conducted two nuclear tests and a number of missile-related tests at an unprecedented rate since early last year and was seen by experts and officials to be making progress in its weapons capabilities.

If indeed today"s launch is a "show of force" in response to the US hardline position, the entire world will be closely watching to see if Trump is about to fold again as he did on Friday, when he was called a "paper tiger" by China"s media after reversing his position on the "One China" policy, and agreeing that he would not challenge China"s legacy status with Taiwan.

According to the press, the White House - and president Trump at Mar-A-Lago - has been briefed on the launch.

-@WhiteHouse officials say @POTUS has been briefed on #DPRK missile launch.

— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) February 12, 2017

We expect either a very angry tweet in response shortly, or a mushroom cloud to emerge in the middle of Pyongyang any minute.