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Ballistic missile launches from Vandenberg, months after U.S. exits Russia weapons treaty
A ballistic missile was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base Thursday morning, fulfilling a promise by President Donald Trump to research and develop the weapons.
It’s the second test of a type of missile that was banned under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, an arms treaty the United States exited earlier this year.
The test missile lifted off from its launch stand at 8:30 a.m. and landed in the open ocean after an approximate 310-mile flight, according to a prepared statement provided to The Tribune by a Vandenberg spokesperson.
“Data collected and lessons learned from this test will inform the Department of Defense’s development of future intermediate-range capabilities,” the statement says.
Trump abandoned weapons treaty with Russia months ago
Similar missiles were banned under a treaty between the United States and Soviet Union to eliminate their intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev signed the treaty in December 1987.
Trump announced withdrawal from the treaty in February 2019, saying “Russia has not, unfortunately, honored the agreement, so we’re going to terminate the agreement. We’re going to pull out.”
The White House announced at that time that the country would move forward with developing its own intermediate-range, conventionally, armed, ground missile system, adding that both China and Iran possess hundreds of INF Treaty-range missiles.
The strategic role of Vandenberg AFB in defense operations
The 30th Space Wing provided support to the successful launch conducted by the Strategic Capabilities Office.
“The joint government-industry team began work after the U.S. suspended its Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty obligations in February 2019 and executed the launch within nine months of contract award when the process typically takes 24 months,” the statement says.
The location of the launch underscores the strategic position of Vandenberg for industry and defense development.
“The Western Range plays an integral role in testing new capabilities with our mission partners by providing the infrastructure, personnel and range assets needed to carry out efficient missile testing from conception to evaluation,” said Col. Anthony Mastalir, 30th Space Wing commander.
“The National Defense Strategy provides very clear direction to restore our competitive edge in the reemergence of great power competition, and we owe it to our nation to rapidly evolve and develop our capacity to defend.”
“Overseeing today’s launch operations in the Western Range Operations Control Center reminded me of just how remarkable our Airmen and partnerships are,” said Col. Bob Reeves, 30th Space Wing vice commander and launch decision authority for the test.
This was the second test of conventionally configured ground-launched missile system since the U.S. withdrew from the INF Treaty. A prototype ground-launched cruise missile successfully launched in a test at San Nicolas Island, California, in August.
The launch was not publicly announced before it occurred, though several news outlets anticipated the test. Noozhawk reported that mariners were notified to keep out of the area between 5 a.m. and 12:41 p.m. on Thursday.
Missile development and research is underway, but some are critical
Lt. Col. Robert Carver, with Office of the Secretary of Defense Public Affairs, said in a written statement provided to Noozhawk that “the United States announced it would commence treaty-compliant research and development of conventional, ground-launched missile concepts in late 2017” as part of the “U.S. integrated response to Russia’s violations of the INF Treaty.”
“Following the U.S. suspension of its obligations under INF in February 2019, (Department of Defense) began conceptual design activities on ground-launched cruise missile and ballistic missile systems, activities which would have been inconsistent with our obligation under the treaty,” Carver added.
Arms control advocates like Kingston Reif with Arms Control Association are critical of developing ground-launched intermediate-range missiles.
Reif said it’s “militarily unnecessary, would force difficult and contentious conversations with and among allies, and likely would prompt Russia and China to take steps that would increase the threat to the United States and its allies,” according to Defense News in a November report that anticipated the tests.
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