U.S. to Conduct Subcritical Nuclear Tests Ahead of Minuteman III Launch

Washington Confirms Non-Explosive Tests

The United States plans to carry out a new series of subcritical nuclear weapons tests, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright confirmed in remarks this week.

“I think the tests we're talking about right now are system tests. These are not nuclear explosions,” Wright said.“These are what we call noncritical explosions — you’re testing all the other parts of a nuclear weapon to make sure they deliver the appropriate geometry and set up the nuclear explosion.”

Subcritical tests, often conducted underground, use plutonium and high explosives but stop short of triggering a self-sustaining chain reaction. The U.S. Department of Energy describes them as essential for maintaining the reliability and safety of the nation’s nuclear arsenal without violating international test-ban agreements.

Missile Launch Imminent

The announcement comes as the U.S. Air Force prepares to test-launch a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California — the first such launch since President Donald Trump ordered the resumption of nuclear weapons testing.

According to Newsweek, the launch is scheduled for November 5–6 and will be used to assess system accuracy, trajectory performance, and the readiness of the Air Force’s strategic deterrence infrastructure.

The LGM-30G Minuteman III, first deployed in 1970, remains the core of America’s land-based nuclear triad. The U.S. currently maintains 400 missiles in silos across Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wyoming, with a total of approximately 800 nuclear warheads assigned to them.

Previous test launches have had mixed results:

• In August 2023, the Air Force intentionally destroyed a Minuteman III mid-flight over the Pacific after an “anomaly” occurred shortly after liftoff from Vandenberg. Officials emphasized the termination was a safety measure and not a system-wide failure.

• Earlier, in February 2023, a routine unarmed test successfully demonstrated the missile’s precision and reliability following a short postponement linked to regional tensions with China.

• The last fully publicized successful flight took place in April 2024, when a Minuteman III traveled roughly 4,200 miles to the Reagan Test Site in the Marshall Islands.

• In May 2025, the Air Force conducted another unarmed Minuteman III launch from Vandenberg — a routine operational readiness test that officials said confirmed “the safety, effectiveness, and reliability of U.S. nuclear forces.”

Strategic and Political Context

While subcritical tests are permitted under the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), which the U.S. has signed but not ratified, the timing of these actions is drawing international scrutiny. Analysts note that resuming physical testing, even below the critical threshold, signals renewed emphasis on nuclear deterrence amid rising tensions with Russia and China — both of which have accelerated their own strategic modernization programs.

The upcoming Minuteman III launch will also serve as a public demonstration of U.S. readiness at a moment when Washington faces parallel confrontations in the Middle East, Asia, and now the Caribbean.

Bottom Line

The U.S. says the upcoming operations are technical validations, not nuclear detonations — but in global perception, testing nuclear components and launching an ICBM in the same week sends a clear message: America’s nuclear triad is not just being maintained — it’s being rehearsed.