[USA] Air Force Global Strike Command

[Henri K.]

Les Etats Unis ont procédé à un tir d'essai de leur ICBM Sol-Sol Minuteman III avec succès le 21 Octobre 2015, la portée est d'environ 7 700 km.

F.E. Warren tests Minuteman III missile with launch from Vandenberg AFB

Posted 10/21/2015   Updated 10/21/2015

by Master Sgt. Timothy Jenkins
Air Force Global Strike Command Public Affairs

10/21/2015 - VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A team of Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen from the 90th Missile Wing at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming, launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile equipped with a test reentry vehicle today at 5:45 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.

The ICBM's reentry vehicle, which contained a telemetry package used for operational testing, traveled approximately 4,200 miles to the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Test launches verify the accuracy and reliability of the ICBM weapon system, providing valuable data to ensure a continued safe, secure and effective nuclear deterrent.

1st Lt. Daniel Uresti Jr. is a 320th Missile Squadron combat crew commander. He said participating in a test launch is rewarding in that he can see the aspects of missile activities he doesn't typically get to see.

"To see the components being built up and talk to the maintenance personnel has been extremely rewarding," said Uresti, a Texas A&M University alumni from San Antonio, Texas. "It helps bridge the gap between operator and maintenance terminology and helps us to understand just how difficult their jobs really are...especially when the weather is bad. These guys still get the mission done."

AFGSC's missile bases have crew members standing alert 24-7 year round, overseeing the nation's ICBM alert forces. Uresti said test launches give the ICBM force an opportunity to show the world that the U.S. has the capability and will to use these weapons should it be necessary.

"We stand ready, every minute of every day, and we know our jobs well," Uresti said. "We literally hold the keys to the most powerful weapons ever developed and we ensure the safety and reliability of these weapons."

Test launches are conducted with randomly selected ICBMs from one of three missile bases, located at F.E. Warren, Malmstrom AFB, Montana, and Minot AFB, North Dakota. While at Vandenberg AFB, launch teams work under the direction of Air Force Global Strike Command's 576th Flight Test Squadron and receive launch and range support from Air Force Space Command's 30th Space Wing.

Senior Airman Joshua Isom, a 90th Missile Maintenance Squadron electro-mechanical team chief, said it's an honor to represent the 90th MW in a test launch.

"It feels really great to be recognized and offered the chance to be a part of something not many people in this career field get to experience," Isom said. "As a missile maintainer, it is pretty awesome to help in the mission of providing the President of the United States with a capable nuclear deterrent."

As an EMT team chief, Isom, a Henderson, Nevada, native, leads Airmen dispatched to missile fields located throughout Wyoming, Colorado and Nebraska. His team troubleshoots electrical and mechanical systems, such as the ground support equipment, security system, entry system to the site, as well as load the Missile Guidance System located on the missile.

He said working as a team with other organizations at Vandenberg AFB has helped him to see the bigger picture and value of ICBM operations.

"Everyone here at the 576th Flight Test Squadron has done an outstanding job in making sure we have everything to do our job safely, securely and effectively," Isom said. "I've learned so much on how the 576th test launches the Minuteman ICBM and how it's tracked during the many stages of flight."

The ICBM community, including the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and U.S. Strategic Command uses data collected from test launches for continuing force development evaluation. The ICBM test launch program demonstrates the operational credibility of the Minuteman III and ensures the United States' ability to maintain a strong, credible nuclear deterrent as a key element of U.S. national security and the security of U.S. allies and partners.

"As operators, we know our jobs inside and out. Our maintenance personnel are extremely knowledgeable and capable of building up a missile quickly and together we can ensure we get 'bombs on target,"' Uresti said. "The ICBM mission isn't glamorous. The elements can be harsh and capsule life can be rigorous but we know the importance of what we do."

Les notifications HYDROPARC et NAVAREA nous indiquent par où le missile et ses chutes sont passés :

NAVAREA XII 350/15

EASTERN NORTH PACIFIC.
HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS 0631Z TO 1431Z DAILY
21 THRU 23 OCT IN AREAS BOUND BY:
A. 34-19N 124-51W, 34-36N 124-54W,
34-53N 122-06W, 34-36N 122-04W.
B. 32-32N 137-09W, 32-47N 137-14W,
32-57N 136-23W, 32-43N 136-19W.
C. 14-41N 174-07E, 15-47N 176-19E,
14-29N 176-59E, 13-25N 174-47E.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 231531Z OCT 15.//

Authority: WESTERN RANGE OP W7245 062101Z OCT 15.

Date: 160748Z OCT 15
Cancel: 23153100 Oct 15

HYDROPAC 3418/15

NORTH PACIFIC.
MARSHALL ISLANDS.
HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS.
DNC 12.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS 210700Z TO 211401Z OCT,
ALTERNATE 0700Z TO 1401Z DAILY 22 AND 23 OCT
IN AREAS BOUND BY:
A. 09-09N 167-08E, 09-23N 167-33E,
09-26N 167-31E, 09-44N 168-00E,
09-56N 168-51E, 09-19N 169-15E,
08-56N 168-37E, 08-50N 168-22E,
09-01N 167-50E, 08-44N 167-23E,
09-08N 167-08E.
B. 13-30N 169-30E, 14-30N 171-00E,
11-00N 172-15E, 10-30N 171-30E.
2. CANCEL HYDROPAC 3401/15. 
3. CANCEL THIS MSG 231501Z OCT 15.//

Authority: USAKA KWAJALEIN OP 363-1 162030Z OCT 15.

Date: 170048Z OCT 15
Cancel: 23150100 Oct 15

Henri K.

[collectionneur]

Le dernier construit date de 1978;;; Il en reste environ 120 en dépôt pour tests et essais en vol :

http://www.bga-aeroweb.com/Defense/Minuteman.html

Je crois qu'il y a un tir par an depuis Vanderberg mais il faut  que je vérifie. En tout cas, les Trident II de l'US Navy sont tirés bien plus souvent, 4 par an si je me souvient bien.

Notons que l'annonce annonçant qui construira le futur bombardier LRSB est ''imminente'' :

http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense-news/2015/10/22/usaf-really-really-close-bomber-contract-award/74378732/

 

Modifié le 19 novembre 2015 par collectionneur
LRS-B

[Henri K.]

NNSA, Air Force Complete Successful B61-12 Life Extension Program Development Flight Test at Tonopah Test Range

WASHINGTON – The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and United States Air Force completed the third development flight test of a non-nuclear B61-12 nuclear gravity bomb at Tonopah Test Range in Nevada on October 20, 2015. 

“This demonstration of effective end-to-end system performance under representative delivery conditions marks another 2015 achievement in the development of the B61-12 Life Extension Program,” said NNSA Deputy Administrator Madelyn Creedon. “Completing this guided B61-12 flight test provides additional evidence of the nation's continued commitment to our nation’s security and that of our allies and partners.”

The flight test asset consisted of hardware designed by Sandia National and Los Alamos National Laboratories, manufactured by the National Security Enterprise Plants, and mated to the tail-kit assembly section, designed by The Boeing Company under contract with Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center. This development flight test asset contained representative non-nuclear components but no highly enriched uranium or plutonium, consistent with test treaty obligations. Although the tail-kit assembly guided the test unit, the B61-12 nuclear weapon will have no additional capabilities from the legacy B61 nuclear weapons and is not GPS-guided. 

This test is the last of three development flight tests for the B61-12 Life Extension Program (LEP). An F-15E from Nellis AFB released the B61-12 test asset and it demonstrated successful performance in a realistic guided flight environment. Initial indications are that all scheduled activities occurred successfully and that telemetry, tracking and video data were properly collected. This test provides additional confidence in the weapon system and instrumentation designs prior to authorizing Phase 6.4, Production Engineering, in 2016.

The B61-12 LEP entered Development Engineering in February 2012 under the oversight of the Nuclear Weapons Council, a joint Department of Defense and Department of Energy/NNSA organization established to facilitate cooperation and coordination between the two departments as they fulfill their complementary agency responsibilities for U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile management. The B61-12 LEP is a joint U.S. Air Force and NNSA program that preserves a critical element of the U.S. Nuclear Triad and demonstrates continued support for extended deterrence and assurance commitments.

The B61-12 LEP refurbishes both nuclear and non-nuclear components to extend the bomb’s service life while improving its safety, security and reliability. The LEP will reuse or remanufacture existing components to the maximum extent possible. With the incorporation of an Air Force provided tail-kit assembly, the B61-12 will replace the existing B61-3, -4, -7, and -10 bombs.

Henri K. 

[collectionneur]

Vidéo du test en question sur un F-15E. Franchement, une ''bombe à gravité'' pour seule armement nucléaire tactique ? Les anciens du SAC doivent être dégouté.

[Bechar06]

Cf. http://www.air-cosmos.com/fin-des-essais-pour-la-bombe-b61-12-51842  qui traite du même sujet:

M'ont toujours étonné ces Américains et leurs alliés affidés ( donc pas nous ), avec leur Bombe larguée Nucléaire Tactique Inerte ... depuis des décennies... Maintenant à "précision métrique" !   J'avoue que je ne vois pas l'intérêt de ces fonctionnalités pour, de toutes façons, faire du "sale", car comment le nucléaire pourrait il être propre ?   Alors au mètre près ?   avec le pilote de l'avion  juste pas loin ! 

" programme de modernisation de la B61^[1] qui est, depuis les années 2000, la seule arme nucléaire tactique de l’arsenal des États-Unis."  cf. wikipedia

[rogue0]

Cf. http://www.air-cosmos.com/fin-des-essais-pour-la-bombe-b61-12-51842  qui traite du même sujet:

M'ont toujours étonné ces Américains et leurs alliés affidés ( donc pas nous ), avec leur Bombe larguée Nucléaire Tactique Inerte ... depuis des décennies... Maintenant à "précision métrique" !   J'avoue que je ne vois pas l'intérêt de ces fonctionnalités pour, de toutes façons, faire du "sale", car comment le nucléaire pourrait il être propre ?   Alors au mètre près ?   avec le pilote de l'avion  juste pas loin !

La précision est bien plus importante que la puissance pour l'attaque des cibles durcies.
(chiffres de mémoire, corrigez-moi si nécessaire)
Une tête nucléaire de 10 Mt détruit un silo ICBM renforcé à 2000psi si elle tombe dans les 500m.
Une tête de 1 Mt détruit le même silo si elle tombe à 250m. 10 fois moins de puissance requise si la précision est doublée.

 

Après, même si le narrative a changé, s'il fallait fracasser des complexes souterrains durcis en Iran ou en Corée du Nord, l'ex STRATCOM avait juré/craché/promis qu'il avait besoin d'une bombe nucléaire spéciale le B61 mod 11, perforante et antibunker (à la GBU-28).
Et maintenant, je lis que la petite dernière mod 12 va aussi la remplacer cette bombe perforante.
http://armedservices.house.gov/index.cfm/hearings-display?ContentRecord_id=a186ee67-acf8-45fd-9364-f907f967c1d3&ContentType_id=14f995b9-dfa5-407a-9d35-56cc7152a7ed&Group_id=64562e79-731a-4ac6-aab0-7bd8d1b7e890

de l'intox, ou ils l'ont construite en kryptonite cette bombe ?

[collectionneur]

Article sur une vidéo prise dans le cockpit d'un B-52 en mission de bombardement nucléaire avec le descriptif des lunettes de protection anti-flash EEU-2 / P,  on dirait le casque des pilotes des chasseurs TIE impériaux :

https://theaviationist.com/2019/10/01/video-inside-a-b-52-flying-a-nuclear-alert-mission-provides-a-rare-view-of-the-pilots-thermal-flash-protective-goggles/

[collectionneur]

Tests de largage de la B61-12 dans le Nevada, programme lancé en 2012 pour une service en 2022, c'est bien long pour une simple modernisation. :

https://www.dhnet.be/actu/monde/l-us-air-force-teste-sa-nouvelle-bombe-nucleaire-dans-le-desert-du-nevada-5ee0a3d49978e21bd06f57da

Modifié le 14 janvier 2021 par collectionneur

[kalligator]

Je comprend toujours pas comment on peut larguer cet engin sur une cible protégée...

[collectionneur]

Un second B-52 ressort du ''cimetière'' du 309th AMARG en Arizona où il était stocké depuis 10 ans après 4 mois de travaux fin 2020 :

https://theaviationist.com/2021/01/09/the-only-two-b-52-bombers-to-be-resurrected-from-the-boneyard-undergoing-pdm-together-at-tinker-afb/

Modifié le 14 janvier 2021 par collectionneur

[collectionneur]

Échec d'un essai de lancement d'un Minuteman III depuis Vandenberg en Californie. Le tir à été avorté. Cela va rajouter de l'huile sur le feu du débat concernant son remplacement : 

https://www.minotdailynews.com/news/local-news/2021/05/minuteman-iii-icbm-test-launch-aborts-prior-to-launch/

 

https://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-actu/le-pentagone-annonce-l-echec-d-un-test-de-missile-intercontinental-20210505

Modifié le 5 mai 2021 par collectionneur