LOS ANGELES, July 31 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Air Force is planning to test launch an unarmed intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Wednesday from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

The Minuteman III missile, the only U.S. land-based ICBM in service, is set to launch from the base between 00:01 a.m. and 6:01 a.m. local time (0701 GMT and 1301 GMT).

The missile launch is designed to validate and verify the effectiveness, readiness, and accuracy of the weapon system, according to a Monday statement posted on the official website of Vandenberg Air Force Base.

"Team V is postured to work with Air Force Global Strike Command to test launch the Minuteman III missile," said Col. Michael Hough, the 30th Space Wing commander who works as the launch decision authority.

The test would be the fourth Minuteman III ICBM launched from Vandenberg this year.

It comes only days after a successful test-firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile of Democratic People's Republic of Korea on Friday.

On May 30, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency successfully test fired an interceptor missile designed to shoot incoming missile over Pacific from the air base.