VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif., Feb. 9 (UPI) -- This week's test launch of a U.S. Minuteman III missile clears the way for the planned switch to GPS tracking of the nuclear weapons while in flight.
The successful tracking of the missile by the GPS Metric Tracking System during its flight from California to the South Pacific means the Air Force will go forward with the deactivation of the C-band transponders that have been used in the past to follow the ICBMs downrange.
"This new system will greatly improve capabilities for range users through more precise tracking, fewer range delays caused by radar downtime and significantly reduced launch support costs," said John Clay, head of the Northrop Grumman ICBM Prime Contract.
The Air Force said Wednesday's launch was successful with the Minuteman III unarmed re-entry vehicle flying some 4,200 miles to a target at the Reagan test site at Kwajalein. Data from the test was still being analyzed.
The GPS component is designed to operate at high altitudes and transmit a stream of location data to the ground control station where the position and velocity of the missile are monitored.
