Training

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Students from the 532nd Training Squadron work on an Air Launch Cruise Missile Simulator in their training facility here Wednesday, March 27, 2013. The squadron recently received four of the simulators from Tinker Air Force Base, Okla. to replace the old “worn-out” ones and provide a more realistic training environment. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman Yvonne Morales)

Training

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Staff Sgt. Douglas Hull, a 532nd Training Squadron air launch missile maintenance instructor, demonstrates how to work on an Air Launched Cruise Missiles to 532nd TRS students through a simulator here Wednesday, March 27, 2013. The squadron recently received four of the simulators from Tinker Air Force Base, Okla. to replace the old “worn-out” ones and provide a more realistic training environment. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman Yvonne Morales)

Minuteman III test missile launches from Vandenberg

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launches during an operational test from a launch facility on north Vandenberg Friday, Feb. 25, 2012. Col. Nina Armagno, 30th Space Wing commander, was the launch decision authority. (U.S. Air Force photo/Joe Davila)

Minuteman III test missile launches from Vandenberg

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launches during an operational test from a launch facility on north Vandenberg Friday, Feb. 25, 2012. Col. Nina Armagno, 30th Space Wing commander, was the launch decision authority. (U.S. Air Force photo/Joe Davila)

Minuteman III test missile launches from Vandenberg

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launches during an operational test from a launch facility on north Vandenberg Friday, Feb. 25, 2012. Col. Nina Armagno, 30th Space Wing commander, was the launch decision authority. (U.S. Air Force photo/Joe Davila)

Minuteman III burns through fog at Vandenberg

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Team Vandenberg launched an unarmed operational test Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile at 6:35 a.m., Wednesday, June 22, 2011 from Launch Facility-10 here. The missile's single reentry test vehicle traveled approximately 4,200 miles to a pre-determined target near the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. (U.S. Air Force photo/Joe Davila)

Vandenberg launches GBI

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Ascending through the cloud of fire and smoke, a ground-based interceptor launched at approximately 3:45 p.m. here Sunday, Jan. 31, 2010. The launch was part of the 30th Space Wing and Missile Defense Agency's scheduled test of the ground-based interceptor system. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Angelina Drake)

minute man III

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile successfully launches at 1 a.m. Nov. 5 from North Vandenberg. The missile was configured with a National Nuclear Security Administration test assembly in which a single unarmed re-entry vehicle traveled approximately 4,190 miles to their pre-determined targets near the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. (U.S. Air Force photo /Joe Davila)

minute man III

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile successfully launches at 1 a.m. Nov. 5 from North Vandenberg. The missile was configured with a National Nuclear Security Administration test assembly in which a single unarmed re-entry vehicle traveled approximately 4,190 miles to their pre-determined targets near the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. (U.S. Air Force photo /Joe Davila)

minute man III

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile successfully launches at 1 a.m. Nov. 5 from North Vandenberg. The missile was configured with a National Nuclear Security Administration test assembly in which a single unarmed re-entry vehicle traveled approximately 4,190 miles to their pre-determined targets near the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. (U.S. Air Force photo /Joe Davila)

Vandenberg successfully launches Minuteman III

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile successfully launches at 1 a.m. Nov. 5 from North Vandenberg. The missile was configured with a National Nuclear Security Administration test assembly in which a single unarmed re-entry vehicle traveled approximately 4,190 miles to their pre-determined targets near the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. (U.S. Air Force photo / Airman 1st Class Andrew Lee)

Chimera launch

A Chimera target launch vehicle, which is a modified Minuteman booster vehicle with a simplified target payload, successfully launches at 11:57 p.m. September 23, 2008 from North Vandenberg. The launch was part of an exercise involving the tracking of a long-range target missile by the Near Field Infrared Experiment, or NFIRE, research satellite. (U.S. Air Force photo/Joe Davilla)

Go For Launch

A Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile successfully launches at 1:01 a.m. Aug. 13 from North Vandenberg AFB. The missile was configured with a National Nuclear Security Administration, or NNSA, test assembly in which three unarmed re-entry vehicles traveled approximately 4,220 miles to their pre-determined targets near the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. The launch was a throw-back to years past in which a maintenance task force from an operational missile wing, in this case the 341st Missile Wing from Malmstrom AFB, Mont., performed jobs unique to test operations while validating the work they perform at the northern tier bases. (U.S. Air Force photo/Joe Davila)

Go For Launch

A Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile successfully launches at 1:01 a.m. Aug. 13 from North Vandenberg AFB. The missile was configured with a National Nuclear Security Administration, or NNSA, test assembly in which three unarmed re-entry vehicles traveled approximately 4,220 miles to their pre-determined targets near the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. The launch was a throw-back to years past in which a maintenance task force from an operational missile wing, in this case the 341st Missile Wing from Malmstrom AFB, Mont., performed jobs unique to test operations while validating the work they perform at the northern tier bases. (U.S. Air Force photo/Joe Davila)

Training device ensures safety

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif -- A training model of a ballistic acuator sits on a specially designed dolly in buidling 8415 here. The training model, built by Vandenberg's Training Device Design and Engineering Center, allows mechanics to see a cutaway view of the actuator. This helps them to more safely dismantle the device for refurbishing. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Andrew Lee)

MMIII

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile configured with a National Nuclear Security Administration joint test assembly launches May 22 from North Vandenberg's Launch Facility-10. The launch was an operational test to determine the weapon system’s reliability and accuracy. The missile's single unarmed re-entry vehicle traveled approximately 5,250 miles before hitting its pre-determined target in a broad ocean area 230 nautical miles southwest of Guam.(Air Force photo)

Vandenberg successfully launches Minuteman III

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile configured with a National Nuclear Security Administration joint test assembly launches May 22 from North Vandenberg's Launch Facility-10. The launch was an operational test to determine the weapon system’s reliability and accuracy. The missile's single unarmed re-entry vehicle traveled approximately 5,250 miles before hitting its pre-determined target in a broad ocean area 230 nautical miles southwest of Guam. (U.S Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Nathaniel Prost)

Vandenberg successfully launches Minuteman III

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile configured with a National Nuclear Security Administration joint test assembly launches May 22 from North Vandenberg's Launch Facility-10. The launch was an operational test to determine the weapon system’s reliability and accuracy. The missile's single unarmed re-entry vehicle traveled approximately 5,250 miles before hitting its pre-determined target in a broad ocean area 230 nautical miles southwest of Guam. (U.S Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Stephanie Longoria)

Successful Missile Launch

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile configured with a National Nuclear Security Administration test assembly launched from North Vandenberg April 1 at 1:01 a.m. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Joe Davila)

Successful Missile Launch

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile configured with a National Nuclear Security Administration test assembly launched from North Vandenberg April 1 at 1:01 a.m. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Joe Davila)

Missile Defense Agency interceptor emplaced at Vandenberg

The Missile Defense Agency emplaces an interceptor missile at Vandenberg Air Force Base May 2.

Missile Defense Agency interceptor emplaced at Vandenberg

The Missile Defense Agency emplaces an interceptor missile at Vandenberg Air Force Base May 2.

Vandenberg, Missile Defense Agency

Even under austere weather conditions in two locations, Vandenberg Airmen and the Missile Defense Agency successfully launched an interceptor missile during a test of the system Sept. 1.

Minuteman III launch

As with this Minuteman III launch Sept. 14, 2005, Vandenberg AFB successfully conducted a Minutman III launch July 20, at 3:14 a.m. This week’s launch was conducted from Vandenberg’s new Western Range Operations Control Center. (Air Force photo by 30th Space Communications Squadron)