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Lawmakers, defense officials joust over next-gen ICBM plans
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An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launches during a test on Oct. 29, 2020, at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. (U.S. Air Force)
WASHINGTON ― The war over developing a next-generation intercontinental ballistic missile ― whether it’s vital to deter Russia and China, as conservatives say, or whether existing missiles can be overhauled for less ― flared up at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday.
Lawmakers from both parties leveled pointed questions at Pentagon officials over whether it’s worthwhile to study extending the life of the 50-year-old Minuteman III as an alternative to its $100 billion replacement program, the Air Force’s Ground Based Strategic Deterrent. ....

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