LGM-30G Minuteman III ICBM

Full Specifications

LGM-30G Minuteman III Ballistic Missile — U.S. Strategic Deterrent

The LGM-30G Minuteman III is the backbone of the United States’ land-based nuclear deterrent, forming a critical component of the nation’s strategic triad alongside nuclear-capable bombers and submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs). Designed for rapid launch and global reach, the Minuteman III represents decades of continuous modernization and reliability within the U.S. Air Force’s Global Strike Command.

Manufactured by Boeing Defense, Space & Security, the Minuteman III entered service in 1970 as an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of delivering nuclear warheads across continents within minutes. It replaced earlier Minuteman variants with improved guidance, accuracy, and multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV) capability — allowing it to carry up to three nuclear warheads (though current arms control treaties limit deployment to a single warhead).

Powered by a three-stage solid-fuel rocket, the missile can reach speeds exceeding Mach 23 (approximately 15,000 mph) and strike targets over 13,000 km (8,100 miles) away. Its advanced inertial guidance system has been continuously upgraded to ensure exceptional accuracy and survivability in contested environments.

The Minuteman III is launched from hardened underground silos located across several U.S. states, primarily operated by the 341st, 90th, and 91st Missile Wings. Despite being over five decades old, ongoing life-extension programs—such as guidance modernization, solid-fuel refurbishment, and command system upgrades—have kept the system fully operational into the 2030s. It will eventually be replaced by the LGM-35A Sentinel ICBM under development by Northrop Grumman.

LGM-30G Minuteman III Price in United States

While exact figures are classified, the estimated cost of maintaining and modernizing each LGM-30G missile system is approximately $7 million to $10 million, with the full life-cycle cost exceeding several billion dollars when infrastructure and command systems are included.