Pentagon postpones nuclear missile test launch amid Ukraine crisis

The Pentagon announced that it is postponing a nuclear missile test launch scheduled for this week to avoid any possible misunderstanding in light of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent decision to put his nuclear forces on higher alert.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said the decision to delay the test of a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile was made by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. He said the U.S. would like to see Moscow reciprocate by “taking the temperature down” in the crisis over Ukraine.

Kirby said the U.S. did not put its nuclear forces on higher alert in response to Putin’s move, which the spokesman described as dangerous and unnecessary.

Austin is “comfortable that the strategic deterrence posture that we have in place is up to the task of defending the homeland and our allies.”

The United States usually performs about four test launches of Minuteman III missiles per year.

This is a developing story. Stay with Military Times for updates.

In Other News

Austin visits Hawaii amid military families’ distrust after fuel spill

Austin visited the Red Hill fuel storage site, and met with several families affected by the fuel spill and Hawaii state officials.

Zelenskyy to Russians: Get names tattooed so we can ID your corpses

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has generated no shortage of eye-catching headlines and propaganda.

Navy hits its active duty enlisted recruitment goals, but not officers

The Navy is bracing for even more significant recruitment difficulties in fiscal 2023.

Air Force grounds most C-130Hs due to cracked propeller barrels

It's uncertain how long it will take Air Mobility Command to replace all the defective propeller assemblies that have grounded most C-130H planes.

Man convicted of selling fentanyl that killed Miramar Marine

“Fentanyl kills indiscriminately and, tragically, here it took the life of a Marine," a top prosecutor said in a statement.

Load More