Minuteman 3 ICBM Launched in Test

The U.S. Air Force on Wednesday conducted a trial flight of its Minuteman 3 ICBM.

The missile took off at 6:27 a.m. local time from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, according to an Air Force press release. It flew thousands of miles before landing in the Pacific Ocean, the Associated Press reported.

The United States keeps 450 Minuteman 3 missiles in Montana, North Dakota and Wyoming. They serve as one leg of the U.S. nuclear triad of land-, air-and sea-based weapons.

Flight tests are intended to assess "the effectiveness, readiness and accuracy of the weapon system," the release states. "The test also supports U.S. strategic deterrence efforts as outlined in the 2010 Department of Defense Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), by demonstrating the operational credibility of the Minuteman 3."

The flight was delayed from April in an effort to avoid further raising tensions with North Korea, which at the time had threatened nuclear strikes against the United States, and then pushed back from Tuesday due to a technical glitch.