US shows off nuclear might with launch of huge ballistic missile after Trump elected

The US has showcased its following - by launching a hypersonic nuclear missile.

The unarmed Minuteman III (ICBM) soared from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base on Tuesday night at around 11pm, according to the Air Force Global Strike Command. The move is part of a routine activity intended to demonstrate the US' nuclear deterrent is "safe, secure, reliable and effective to deter 21st century threats".

“These tests are demonstrative of what Striker Airmen bring to the fight if called by the president,” said Gen. Thomas A. Bussiere, commander, Air Force Global Strike Command. “An airborne launch validates the survivability of our ICBMs, which serve as the strategic backstop of our nation’s defense and defense of allies and partners.”

According to earlier reports, the weapon will travel 4,200 from the California base to the Kwajalein Atoll, a tiny island in the North Pacific. The distance is roughly equivalent to that between London and New Delhi, but the blistering 15,000mph speed of the world-ending weapon will get it there in just 22 minutes. This clearly demonstrates to anyone thinking of attacking the US that it could wipe them off the map within a mere 30 minutes of launch.

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When the operation was publicised, it drew condemnation from many Americans, who said the timing of the launch was inappropriate. However, military officials came forward to confirm that the "test is routine and was scheduled years in advance".

As well as the questionable timing, the operation comes amid a backdrop of heightened tensions across the , with some even predicting a third world war could be close at hand. The ongoing war in along with strife in the Middle East has captured international attention as Western and anti-Western powers engage directly or indirectly in the conflicts.

Another area of conflict is Taiwan, the self-declated independent state which claims. There has been speculation over whether America will intervene if China initiated an invasion.

In recent weeks, China test-fired its own ICBM into the Pacific, sparking security concerns and heightening tensions between Beijing and Washington at a time when relations are already stretched.

The ICBM carried a dummy warhead and fell into a designated area of the sea, the Defense Ministry said in a statement posted to social media. The launch by the People's Liberation Army's Rocket Force was part of routine annual training, complied with international law and was not directed against any country or target, according to the statement.

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