It weighs 35 tons, can travel 10 thousand kilometers and is capable of reaching a speed of 24 thousand kilometers per hour
This Wednesday, the US deployed a nuclear-capable ICBM, the LGM-30G Minuteman III, which is one of the main elements of the United States’ nuclear deterrence system. This missile is integrated into the strategic arsenal of the Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) and represents the culmination of decades of technological advances in propulsion, navigation and survivability in nuclear war scenarios.
The Minuteman III is a three-stage solid propellant missile, that is, it has a propulsion system where three different engines, each containing solid fuel, are activated in sequence to launch the payload – which gives it great launch speed and low maintenance requirements. It is a technological leap compared to previous generations of liquid-fuel ICBMs, according to the specifics highlighted on official North American government and specialty websites.
Measuring 18.2 meters long, with a diameter of 1.7 meters and a total weight of 35.3 tons, the Minuteman III is capable of reaching an altitude of 1,200 kilometers and speeds of around 24,000 km/h (Mach 23) in the final phase. It can travel 10 thousand kilometers, which allows it to reach intercontinental targets in less than 30 minutes.
The nuclear warhead can vary between the W62, W78 or W87 models. Although each missile is currently equipped with a single warhead, its technical configuration allows for the transport of two or three. The system includes an airburst detonator, designed to maximize the radius of destruction on strategic targets.
Minuteman IIIs are installed in reinforced underground silos, strategically dispersed in states such as Wyoming, Montana and North Dakota. Each silo is connected to an underground launch control center via reinforced cables.
The launch teams, made up of two elements, operate on permanent alert, with direct and highly secure communications with the President and Secretary of Defense of the United States. In case of ground communication failure, E-6B aircraft automatically assume command and control of the missiles.
The Minuteman system began to be designed in the late 1950s. The first model in the series (Minuteman I) became operational in the early 1960s and represented a technological revolution: it was faster, more reliable and less dependent on complex infrastructure than the liquid-fuel ICBMs of the time. The Minuteman II brought improvements in accuracy and range, and the Minuteman III, introduced in the early 1970s, consolidated the concept with multiple warhead capabilities and a more sophisticated inertial navigation system.
Over nearly six decades, the system has been continually modernized. Improvements included replacing electronic components, updating navigation and communications systems, and strengthening the silo structure to withstand direct nuclear attacks. Currently, the North American arsenal consists of 400 operational Minuteman III missiles, distributed across Wyoming, Montana and North Dakota.
