Esper Hails New US Missile Test, Says Took Less Than 9 Months To Go From Concept To Launch

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 13th December, 2019) Secretary of Defense Mark Esper in a statement praised the United States' recent test of a ground-based intermediate-range missile and noted that it took less than nine months to develop the projectile from concept to launch.

"Today US Air Force, [Vandenberg Air Force Base] and [Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering] Strategic Capabilities Office successfully tested a prototype conventional, ground-launched ballistic missile," Esper said via Twitter on Thursday. "Congrats to the joint [government]-industry team for going from concept to launch in less than 9 months."

Esper added that work on the missile began after the United States suspended its obligations under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in February 2019. He pointed out that it usually takes 24 months to plan and execute such a missile test.

The test missile launch shows the United States' capability to respond to critical national security challenges, Esper said.

Earlier on Thursday, the US military tested a ground-based intermediate-range missile in the state of California that flew for more than 500 kilometers over the ocean. This type of missile was previously banned under the INF Treaty.

The INF Treaty, signed by the United States and the then Soviet Union in 1987, was terminated on August 2 at the United States' initiative after it formally suspended its INF obligations six months earlier.

The United States and Russia have repeatedly accused each other of violating the agreement, which banned any ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges of 500 to 5,500 kilometers (310 to 3,417 miles).