The US Air Force test-fired an unarmed long-range missile capable of carrying a nuclear weapon, Wednesday, according to the Air Force Global Strike Command.

Afghan Voice Agency(AVA), Deployed from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the missile traveled roughly 4,200 miles to a test range near the Marshall Islands.
An Air Force statement called the test "an important demonstration of our nation's nuclear deterrent capability."

The test launched a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile from the Airborne Launch Control System on a Navy E-6 Mercury jet, according to the Air Force.
The US regularly tests its intercontinental weapon system to verify its accuracy and reliability -- with launches scheduled long in advance, according to defense officials.
But while the Air Force has conducted a similar missile test as recently as February 7, Wednesday's launch is notable in that it occurred amid rising tensions and military flexing over North Korea's own nuclear program.