BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --
Airmen assigned to the 625th Strategic Operations Squadron employed the Airborne Launch Control System (ALCS) aboard a U.S. Navy E-6B Mercury to launch a test of an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile from Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., Nov. 5, 2025.
The test, designated GT 254, evaluated the ongoing reliability, operational readiness, and accuracy of the ICBM system, a cornerstone of America's national defense.
“The ALCS provides the nuclear forces a survivable and secondary capability to transmit launch commands to our ICBMs,” said Maj. Dalton Douglas, 625th STOS Missile Combat Crew Member-Airborne (MCCM-A). “In the event launch control centers (LCCs) that hold our land-based missileers are unable to direct and execute our ICBM arsenal by presidential orders, the ALCS is the alternate means to control and employ those missiles by air.”
The 625th STOS, comprised of missileers, engineers, missile maintenance Airmen, cyber operators, contractors, and civilians, is the sole unit within in the Department of the Air Force that can operate the ALCS.
“From the perspective of the men and women of the 625th STOS, GT 254 is unique because it showcased every aspect of our mission as nuclear professionals from start to finish,” said Shane Bristow, 625th STOS contractor. “We provided the missile targeting, modeled the flight path using specialized computer systems maintained by the squadron, developed the flight coordinates for the E-6B, and provided the launch commands necessary to initiate the launch sequence of the ICBM.”
The operational key-turn launch of the ALCS is used once a year to execute GT missions but the squadron trains and exercises continuously to ensure flawless execution of the mission.
One such training opportunity for the ALCS is the Simulated Electronic Launch Minuteman (SELM) tests which occur twice a year. During the simulated launch, every process and procedure up to turning the key of the ALCS is executed and tested.
“SELM missions are a critical aspect of testing and verifying the safety, security, and reliability of the ICBM systems,” said Maj. Andrew Larson, 625th STOS ALCS MCCM-A. “These missions provide the nuclear enterprise with a window into how the weapon system is able to perform on a day-to-day basis.”
The 377th Test and Evaluation Group, the Air Force's only dedicated ICBM test organization, oversaw the meticulous planning and execution of the test launch.
“Challenges are always a part of these missions and reality rarely matches expectations with so many moving pieces in such a complex mission,” said Ben Guenther, 625th STOS ALCS chief. “The professionalism of the team, extensive training, and the ability to respond with flexibility helped to ensure our focus for this mission.”
The unarmed ICBM's reentry vehicle traveled approximately 4,200 miles to the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command's Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at the Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
The Reagan Test Site, equipped with advanced sensors, including high-fidelity metric and signature radars, optical sensors, and telemetry, collected critical data during the terminal phase of flight.
“Our testing supports survivable nuclear operations and empowers strategic deterrence decision makers by providing reliable system performance data and trend analysis,” said Capt. Max deMayo, 625th STOS ALCS test engineer. “Conducting an actual ICBM launch provides unmatched real-world data and demonstrates our secondary launch capability on the world stage.”
RTS team members analyze the data to evaluate system performance and support the research, development, test, and evaluation of America's defense and space programs.
“The ALCS is a vital and integral part of our nuclear triad that has a chilling effect on our adversaries and calms our allies,” said Bristow.
Airmen from all three Air Force Global Strike Command missile wings comprised the task force supporting the test launch, while maintainers from the 90th Missile Wing at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming, provided essential maintenance support.
“It was an honor to be part of this mission because it sends a message to every missileer, every missile maintainer, and every defender currently pulling duty at one of our missile wings that what they do matters,” said Bristow. “The early morning briefs, late nights, braving the cold and wind; it matters to all of us that sleep under the blanket of freedom provided by these silent professionals.”
This collective effort underscored the commitment and expertise of the Airmen who maintain and operate this vital weapon system.
“I am deeply humbled and honored to be part of the nuclear enterprise, as an operator of one of the nation’s most lethal and powerful weapons,” said Douglas. “It is not a responsibility to take lightly but I have full faith in the capabilities due to the highly knowledgeable and professional individuals across the enterprise.”
(Editor’s note: Air Force Global Strike Command Public Affairs contributed to the article)