North Korea once again demonstrated military muscle on January 6, the day it launched a new hypersonic ballistic missile intermediate range (IRBM). It occurred two months after the last recorded launches and in the midst of the continuous escalation of tensions that the Korean peninsula is experiencing.
The country’s leader, Kim Jong-un, supervised the test and did not hesitate to show his chest when he assured that it was a “strategic” weapon and that it is possible that “few countries in the world have a system of this type.”
“The performance of our latest intermediate-range hypersonic missile system is globally significant and cannot be ignored,” the president declared. “The trial showed that we can deal with different security threats that hostile forces pose to our State today. The hypersonic missile system will stop any rival in the Pacific region that attempts to attack the security of our State”.
The hypersonic missile, in particular, has advanced capabilities. According to the North Korean version, the projectile flew at 12 times the speed of sound, traveled a distance of up to 1,500 kilometers before falling into the sea and recorded two peaks high. The first at 99.8 kilometers and for a second at 42.5.
The latter, if confirmed, would make it a powerful weapon, since it would imply that it has ability to make adjustments to your flightchange your trajectory and even gain altitude again instead of losing it until you reach your goal. This characteristic would make it a difficult artifact to neutralize, since its trajectory would be unpredictable.
Its neighbor to the South, however, doubts the North Korean version. A South Korean military spokesman cast doubt on the claim, calling it “deceptive” and highlighted Pyongyang’s tendency to “overdo it.” “The flight range analyzed by South Korea, the US and Japan was about 1,100 kilometers and the missile did not reach a second peak altitude,” said Colonel Lee Sung-un, quoted by the South Korean Yonhap agency. However, Seoul plans to carry out a more exhaustive analysis with Washington, according to Reuters.
“The performance of our latest missile system is globally significant and cannot be ignored,” Kim said.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) believes the missile initially had a range of between 3,000 and 5,500 kilometers. However, during Monday’s test, traveled a shorter distance of 1,100 kilometers before landing in the East Sea. The maneuver is calculated to moderate the impact of the missile and, at the same time, show its ability to hit targets such as Guam, a United States military base.
HGV: new and unpredictable materials
North Korean media highlighted the use of advanced materials and technologies, such as a “new carbon fiber composite” for the engine body and “a new comprehensive and effective method” in the flight control and guidance system. Unlike traditional ballistic missiles, which primarily fly through space, hypersonics travel longer distances within the atmosphereso they require materials resistant to intense friction and heat.
Conventional ballistic missiles follow a predictable ballistic trajectory and are vulnerable to interception by the latest anti-ballistic missile systems. An HGV is a type of ballistic missile warhead that can maneuver and glide at hypersonic speed. It is used in conjunction with ballistic missiles to significantly modify their trajectories after launch. That Maneuverability in flight makes HGVs unpredictable and allows them to effectively evade air defenses.
The declared flight distance and altitude appear very misleading,” says the South Korean Army.
From the photos published by North Korean media, the missile appears very similar to the Hwasong-16Ba medium-range hypersonic ballistic missile that runs on solid fuel, tested by the regime last April. In that test the warhead separated from the missile, reaching a peak of 101 km, then a secondary peak at 72.3 km before landing in the Sea of Japan. Maximum speed at Mach 5.
Characteristics (estimated) of the Hwasong-16B
- Length: 20-21 meters
- Diameter: 2.1-2.3m
- Propellant: two-stage solid rocket
- Launch pad: 7-axis transporter
Before the April test of the Hwasong-16B with HGV, In January 2024, North Korea tested a variant with maneuverable reentry vehicle (MaRV). The official name of this variant could be Hwasong-16A, but it has not been officially confirmed.
Last year of the five-year military development plan
2025 is the final year of North Korea’s five-year military development plan presented at the January 2021 party congress. According to NK Newsa media outlet specializing in communist Korea, Kim is likely to focus on the plans to fully deploy new irradiated ballistic missiles solid-fuel missiles, land- and sea-launched intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), multiple warhead technology, and even the country’s first nuclear-powered submarine.
The Relations between the two Koreas are at their lowest point in years due to the increase in ballistic tests by Pyongyang (which violates the sanctions imposed by the United Nations) and the closer military cooperation between Seoul and the United States.
North Korea’s latest launch took place two weeks before US President-elect Donald Trump takes office, a ceremony to be held on January 20. The last releases were on November 5the date on which the US presidential elections were held.
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