N Korea’s rocket claim more credible
Pyongyang says missile is region’s most powerful to date
EXPERTS may debate trajectories, payload weights and re-entry shields, but North Korea’s claim that the entire US is within range of its rapidly improving missiles have become more credible.
Yesterday’s launch of what the North called the Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile demonstrated a greater range than other missiles its tested. It also showcased several capabilities the North must master if it were ever to try to unleash them at the US.
According to North Korea’s announcements about the launch, the Hwasong-15 can be tipped with a “super-large heavy warhead” and is capable of striking anywhere in the US mainland. The North claims it reached an altitude of 4 475km and flew 950km from its launch site just outside of Pyongyang. It was airborne for 53 minutes before splashing down in the Sea of Japan.
Pyongyang claims the missile has significant tactical and technical improvements from the Hwasong-14 ICBM it tested in July and is the North’s “most powerful” to date. KCNA also said keader Kim Jongun “declared with pride that now we have finally realised the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force”.
The repeated claim in the announcement that North Korea has now completed its “rocket weaponry system development” is new and important. It could be bluster, but might also suggest a shift away from tests – at least of these kinds of missiles – towards production and deployment.
The timing and location are important. It was launched in the dead of night, most likely from a mobile launcher, near the capital. This indicates the North was trying to show it can launch whenever and wherever it pleases – a capability that makes it more difficult to take pre-emptive action. It’s impossible to blow up a North Korean missile on the launch pad if the missile can be moved and there isn’t any launch pad.
Interestingly, however, Japanese media reported on Tuesday their government had intercepted radio signals from the North