Today it was reported that the Air Force tested an unarmed long range Minuteman III ICBM off the coast of California this morning. It tracked 4,200 miles to its planned target in the Pacific Ocean. It deployed three unarmed reentry vehicles and the data that was collected will be used to determine the functionality and reliability of the weapon.
This stands in contrast to North Korea’s failed attempts to test their Taepodong-II missile, which if it operated properly could reach U.S. territory in Hawaii or Alaska. I’m assuming that the test launch, which would have served a legitimate purpose of testing the missile and its performance characteristics as part of a regular maintenance program, it no doubt coincides with the tension on the Korean peninsula.
A clear discouragement to North Korea that the United States can, and will, give them a firm whooping if they try to launch missiles our way.