American experts admit that the Hwasong-15 ICBM is capable of threatening all of North America
North Korea’s Hwasong-15 missile launch
North Korea yesterday released images of the test launch of the Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), believed to be the country’s longest-range missile.
The projectile was launched at 3:17 a.m. on November 29 from the northeastern area of the capital Pyongyang, flying for 54 minutes, reaching a maximum altitude of 4,475 km and a range of 960 km.
American experts, who have expressed skepticism about North Korea’s previous statements, affirmed that data and images of the test have confirmed that Pyongyang possesses an ICBM powerful enough to carry a nuclear warhead.
`Initial calculations show that the new missile can carry a medium-sized nuclear warhead to any city in the United States,` said missile expert Michael Elleman of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).
Powerful Hwasong-15 missile.
Expert Elleman believes that Pyongyang only needs to conduct two to three more tests of the Hwasong-15 missile to confirm its functionality and reliability, and test the protection of the refueling system on the warhead.
`If North Korea fields ICBMs with thermonuclear warheads capable of threatening American cities, they may not need high-precision missiles to convince Washington that a military solution is too expensive and dangerous.
In a phone call with US President Donald Trump, South Korean President Moon Jae-in affirmed that the Hwasong-15 is North Korea’s most modern missile.
Rockets are larger and have more powerful engines
`The Hwasong-15 is so large that North Korea does not need to shrink its warhead,` said expert Jeffrey Lewis of the Middlebury Institute of Strategic Studies.
Images released by Pyongyang show that the Hwasong-15 is significantly larger in size than the Hwasong-14 model, allowing designers to equip a more powerful propulsion system.
The Hwasong-15 shell left the launch pad.
`This is a very large missile, not just for North Korea. There are only a few countries in the world capable of producing missiles of this size, Pyongyang has just set foot in this group of powers,` the author said.
A US official said that the Hwasong-15 missile uses solid fuel, helping to shorten launch preparation time and simplify transportation.
`The Hwasong-15 appears to be equipped with a new engine, but it could also be a previously used engine. It does not use an auxiliary engine to adjust flight direction like the Hwasong-12 and Hwasong-14 models, but
`The first booster stage is quite similar to the Hwasong-14, but uses two exhaust pipes. The second booster stage appears to carry twice the amount of fuel as its predecessor. This combination shows that the Hwasong-15 is indeed the name model.
Vehicle carrying and loading ammunition of the Hwasong-15 system.
The Hwasong-15 rocket was delivered to the launch site by the type of truck that previously transported larger rockets.
Analyst Scott Lafoy emphasized that this is not an ammunition transporter and launcher (TEL), but only an ammunition carrier and erector (T/E), with the function of transporting and bringing missiles to the launch position.
