The U.S. Air Force is going ahead with two long-planned flight tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles next month despite efforts to damp tensions over North Korea's nuclear ambitions and encourage fragile talks with South Korea.
Test launches of American missiles — without the nuclear warheads they can deliver — would be unlikely to cause much of a stir under regular circumstances. But they may prove sensitive coming the same month as the Winter Olympics, which are to be hosted by South Korea beginning Feb. 9. North Korea has agreed to send its athletes, and the U.S. has postponed joint military exercises with South Korea that normally would begin next month.
"There are two launches currently scheduled for February that have been scheduled for three to five years" to test the reliability and accuracy of the Minuteman III missiles, according to Capt. Anastasia Schmidt, a spokeswoman for the Air Force Global Strike Command, which manages ICBMs and long-range bombers.
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