The United States is conducting an unarmed Minuteman III missile test, with three E-6 aircraft airborne in preparation as of November 5th, 4:45 AM UTC. This event occurs concurrently with ongoing military exercises near Key West, Florida, and follows a series of U.S. strikes on vessels in international waters earlier today. The missile test and the airborne E-6 aircraft, identified by call signs including #AE3988, #AE92DB, and #AF6063, were highlighted by intelligence monitoring service NeetIntel via X at approximately 4:40 AM UTC. The missile test is part of routine readiness procedures for the U.S. nuclear triad. The E-6 Mercury aircraft are airborne command posts that can communicate with submerged submarines and are critical for nuclear command and control. The specific flight path of E-6 #AE3988 was noted as particularly interesting by NeetIntel, though no further details were provided. This period of heightened military activity includes continued large-scale exercises underway near Key West, Florida, which are expected to conclude on November 6th. These exercises were previously noted to be ongoing through the night. Furthermore, between 1:15 AM and 2:15 AM UTC on November 5th, the U.S. conducted 15 strikes against vessels in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in 64 or 65 reported fatalities, according to reports tracked by The New York Times and Airwars. One of these strikes in the Eastern Pacific targeted suspected narco-smuggling operations and resulted in two fatalities, confirmed by the Department of War.
