North Korea missiles

[Star One]

U.S. intelligence analysts believe a recent military parade in North Korea "probably oversells" the threat its inter-continental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) pose to the United States, according to a leaked document purportedly from the U.S. government.

A brief, one-paragraph observation in one of the documents marked "Secret" and seen by Reuters noted that North Korea had paraded an unprecedented number of ICBM-class launchers at an event on Feb. 8that were "most likely carrying nonoperational systems."

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/north-korea-parade-probably-oversells-icbm-threat-leaked-document-2023-04-11/

[Vahe231991]

U.S. intelligence analysts believe a recent military parade in North Korea "probably oversells" the threat its inter-continental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) pose to the United States, according to a leaked document purportedly from the U.S. government.

A brief, one-paragraph observation in one of the documents marked "Secret" and seen by Reuters noted that North Korea had paraded an unprecedented number of ICBM-class launchers at an event on Feb. 8that were "most likely carrying nonoperational systems."

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/north-korea-parade-probably-oversells-icbm-threat-leaked-document-2023-04-11/

The Pentagon definitely seems to have had good reason to believe that the launchers shown at last February's parade weren't carrying operational missiles because the DPRK has yet to successfully test a solid-fuel ICBM (the Hwasong-14, Hwasong-15, and Hwasong-17 are liquid-fuel missiles) and the Hwasong-17 is still in the flight testing phase.

[Vahe231991]

North Korea on Friday said the missile used in its recent launch was its new solid-fuel "Hwasong-18" intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), in its latest major weapons test that drew condemnation from South Korea, the United States and Japan.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un guided Thursday's launch and said the new ICBM will greatly advance the effectiveness of the North's nuclear counterattack posture, Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20230414001000325

[catdlr]

[Steven Pietrobon]

Here's the KCNA press release on the 13 April launch of Hwasong-18. Its a three stage vehicle with the first two stages being solid. I'm not sure about the third stage. No performance figures were given. Photo 18 shows what I believe to be the third stage.

http://www.kcna.kp/en/article/q/1764e4431f2d91ad94dd8be97a2f8760.kcmsf

Another Mighty Entity Showing Continuous Development of Strategic Force Unveiled in DPRK
Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un Guides First Test-Fire of New-Type ICBM Hwasongpho-18 on Spot

Pyongyang, April 14 (KCNA) -- The DPRK's nuclear war deterrent for self-defence is rapidly developing at increasing speed in keeping with the immutable strategic line and policy of the Workers' Party of Korea and the government of the DPRK to ceaselessly develop the might of the strategic force of the DPRK to turn it into an entity of super power and absolute strength, a powerful force capable of preventing the nuclear holocaust and deterring all sorts of possible dangerous enemy invasions, and a treasured sword for defending justice and peace.

On April 13, 2023, a powerful entity symbolic of the ceaseless development of the strategic force of the DPRK notified the world of its emergence.

A new-type ICBM, Hwasongpho-18, which will fulfill its mission of an important war deterrent as the future core pivotal means of the strategic force of the DPRK, was test-fired.

Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, guided the first test-fire of the new-type ICBM on the spot.

The aim of the test-fire was to confirm the performance of the high-thrust solid-fuel engines for multi-stage missiles and the reliability of the stage-jettisoning technology and various functional control systems and to estimate the military feasibility of the new strategic weapon system.

In consideration of the security of the neighboring countries and the safety of the multi-stage-separation of the missile during its flight in the territorial air, the test fire was conducted in the way of applying the standard trajectory flying mode to its first stage and the vertical mode to the second and third stages, and of confirming the technological features of all the components of the weapon system by restricting the maximum speed of the missile through delayed stage separation and motor reactivation.

Kim Jong Un learned about the new weapon system on the spot while watching the pre-launch operation.

The launching site, which was to witness once again an important event of great significance in the history of the development of the strategic force of the DPRK under the direct guidance of Kim Jong Un, was seething with the burning will of all the defence scientists and workers in the field of munitions industry to inform the whole world of the emergence of another powerful nuclear attack means of the DPRK and demonstrate the reliable nuclear war deterrence of the state.

Ready for test-fire!

When Kim Jong Un approved the test-fire of the new-type strategic weapon, General Jang Chang Ha ordered the second red flag company under the General Missile Bureau to launch the missile.

The moment, a great entity fully representing the irresistible might of the DPRK began to soar into the sky with fierce flames at its tail, making a thunderous roar.

The test-fire had no adverse effect on the security of the neighboring countries. Its first stage safely landed in the waters 10 km off the Hodo Peninsula in Kumya County, South Hamgyong Province and the second stage in the waters 335 km east of Orang County, North Hamgyong Province.

The test-fire confirmed that all the parameters of the new strategic weapon system fully met the requirements of the design in terms of accuracy, providing guarantee and creditability that the new-type ICBM would serve as a powerful strategic attack means of greater military efficiency.

The Hwasongpho-18 weapon system, to be equipped with and operated by the strategic force of the DPRK under the long-term plan for building the state nuclear force, will perform its important mission and duty as the most powerful, pivotal and principal means in defending the DPRK, deterring aggression and defending the security of the state.

Kim Jong Un expressed great satisfaction at the eye-opening successes while guiding the test-fire. He was pleased with the fact that the DPRK has clearly proved once again the tremendous potentiality and reality of its defence technology further developing as the days go by and powerfully demonstrated its unshakable determination and practical ability to attain the goal for bolstering up the armed forces.

He noted that it is the consistent stand of the Workers' Party of Korea and the DPRK government to steadily and rapidly accelerate the development of more developed and advanced powerful weapon system to cope with the ever-worsening security environment of the Korean peninsula and long-term military threats. He mentioned with pride the significance of the test-fire, saying that the development of the new-type ICBM Hwasongpho-18 will extensively reform the strategic deterrence components of the DPRK, radically promote the effectiveness of its nuclear counterattack posture and bring about a change in the practicality of its offensive military strategy.

Noting that it is an absolute mission and duty to be fulfilled by the DPRK's defence scientists to uphold the WPK and the DPRK government's policy of countering the enemy's nukes and policy of frontal confrontation in kind with practical successes in the development of self-defence capabilities, he set forth the important strategic tasks for further accelerating the bolstering of the nuclear strategic force of the DPRK.

He affirmed that the WPK and the DPRK government would make the enemy, who are imperiling the environment on the Korean peninsula and harassing the Korean people's peaceful life and struggle for socialist construction with their inveterate policy of aggression and threatening military moves, experience a clearer security crisis, and constantly strike extreme uneasiness and horror into them by taking fatal and offensive counter-actions until they abandon their senseless thinking and reckless acts, thus making them feel regret and despair for their wrong choice by surely exposing them to an irresistible threat.

The successful test of the new strategic weapon system serves as an occasion for proving that the nuclear strategic force and the missile scientists and technicians of the DPRK directly responsible for its development always thoroughly and perfectly implement the strategic intention of the WPK, getting fully prepared to carry out their important mission at any time. -0-

[FutureSpaceTourist]

twitter.com/nknewsorg/status/1679287977502191617

NEW: North Korean state TV has aired the first video footage of Wednesday's Hwasong-18 long-range nuclear missile launch (see full story here: https://www.nknews.org/2023/07/north-korea-launched-hwasong-18-icbm-as-show-of-force-against-us-state-media/)

https://twitter.com/nknewsorg/status/1679288834784399361

NEW: North Korean state TV releases video footage of the Hwasong-18 ICBM launch stage separation. It flew at a lofted angle, reaching 6,648.4 km altitude and  1,001.2 km distance over 74 minutes, the DPRK's longest ICBM flight duration (see full story here: nknews.org/2023/07/north-…)

[Steven Pietrobon]

Hwasong-18 is a three stage vehicle.

http://www.kcna.kp/en/article/q/054ae451fb522e770dad2aa09d3970bd.kcmsf

Another Event of Great Significance Recorded in Developing Strategic Force of DPRK
Test-fire of New-type ICBM Conducted
Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un Guides Test-fire of ICBM Hwasongpho-18

Pyongyang, July 13 (KCNA) -- As a part of the efforts to bolster the just right to self-defence to reliably defend the security of our state and regional peace from the disaster of a nuclear war and thoroughly deter the dangerous military moves of the hostile forces, the General Missile Bureau conducted the test-fire of new-type ICBM Hwasongpho-18, the core weapon system of the strategic force of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on July 12.
...
Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the DPRK, personally guided the test-fire of a new-type ICBM Hwasongpho-18 on the spot.

The test-fire was aimed at re-confirming the technical creditability and operational reliability of the new-type ICBM weapon system.

In consideration of the security of the neighboring countries and the stability of domestic in-flight multi-stage separation, the test-fire was conducted in the way of setting the first stage as a standard ballistic flight mode and the second and third stages as high-angle flight mode and of confirming the technical characteristics of every component of the weapon system in the maximum range system.

When the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un mounted the central command observation post to approve the test-fire of a new-type strategic weapon, General Kim Jong Sik issued a launch order to the Second Red Flag Company under the General Missile Bureau in charge of the test-fire mission.

The moment, a huge body began soaring into the sky with a shower of fire in its tail, making a deafening explosion to signal the emergence of the entity of the strategic weapon fully loaded with the strength and technology of the DPRK.

The test-fire had no negative effect on the security of the neighboring countries.

The missile traveled up to a maximum altitude of 6 648.4 km and flew a distance of 1 001.2 km for 4 491s before accurately landing on the preset area in the open waters off the East Sea of Korea.

All the new records confirmed through the test-fire proved the capability, reliability and military utility of the new-type strategic weapon system and verified the undoubted dependability of the nuclear strategic force of the DPRK.

The Hwasongpho-18 weapon system, equipped and operated by the strategic force of the DPRK under the long-term plan for building the state nuclear force, will perform its mission and duty as the most powerful, core main force means for thoroughly deterring and overwhelmingly responding to diverse threats of a nuclear war and provocative acts of aggression against the DPRK and for reliably defending the security of the DPRK.

Expressing great satisfaction over the results of the test-fire, the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un said with pleasure that this eventual success which fully demonstrated the might of the DPRK fully equipped with the firm nuclear war deterrence for self-defence and the overwhelming offensive power serves as another important stride in developing the strategic force of the DPRK.
...
www.kcna.kp (Juche112.7.13.)

[catdlr]

Have to admit they sure love to record these launches using a multitude of camera angles, including some great drone angles. Looks like they are using hot stagging as well.

[Vahe231991]

Since there have been two Hwasong-18 launches so far, it is probable that the Hwasong-18s housed in canisters atop the multitude of nine axle TELs that were paraded in February 2023 were prototypes. After all, a similar situation happened in July 1955 when 28 Myasishchev M-4s took part in a Soviet airshow, and this led US intelligence to believe that the M-4 was in mass production, but it became clear later on that the number of M-4s in service in 1955 was much lower than previously thought.

[Steven Pietrobon]

Two ballistic missiles launched on 18 July and two cruise missiles launched on 22 July.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/7/18/n-korea-fires-2-ballistic-missiles-as-us-sub-arrives-in-s-korea

"North Korea has launched two ballistic missiles into its eastern sea, the Japanese and South Korean militaries said, just hours after a United States nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarine arrived in a South Korean port for the first time in four decades."
...
"The first missile reached an altitude of 50km (31 miles) and covered a range of 550 km (341 miles), while the second one rose as high as 50km and flew 600km (372 miles), Japanese Defence Minister Yasukazu Hamada told reporters."

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/7/22/n-korea-fires-several-cruise-missiles-into-sea-as-tensions-soar

"On Wednesday, North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles from an area near its capital, Pyongyang. They flew about 550km (341 miles) before landing in waters east of the Korean Peninsula."

[Steven Pietrobon]

Video of the Hwasong 18 launch. Looks like the missile almost hit the drone!

https://kcnawatch.org/kctv-archive/64b15526c5e34/

[catdlr]

Video of the Hwasong 18 launch. Looks like the missile almost hit the drone!

https://kcnawatch.org/kctv-archive/64b15526c5e34/

Wow, that was spectacular. 

[Vahe231991]

Latest North Korean missile sparks debate over possible Russian links

SEOUL/WASHINGTON, Aug 18 (Reuters) - North Korea's latest Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile - its first ICBM to use solid rocket fuel - has reignited debate over possible Russian links to the nuclear-armed state's dramatic missile development.

In a report published on Thursday by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, Theodore Postol, professor emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, argued that the Hwasong-18 ICBM is likely the result of technical cooperation sourced to Russia.

The Hwasong-18 has been tested twice, including on July 12 in what was the longest flight time ever for a North Korean missile test.

It is the North's first ICBM to use solid propellants, which can enable faster and easier deployment of missiles during war. The missile was first flown in April.

"The sudden appearance of these advanced capabilities is difficult to explain without cooperation from the Russian government and its scientists," Postol wrote, saying visual similarities suggest Russia may have decided to transfer an "advanced 50-ton solid propellant ICBM, the Topol-M, also known as the SS-27", to North Korea.

https://www.reuters.com/world/latest-north-korean-missile-sparks-new-debate-over-possible-russian-role-2023-08-18/

I remember that a number of military experts suspected that the engines of the Hwasong-12 and Hwasong-14 are based on the RD-250 family of engines, but the suggestion that the Hwasong-18 and the TEL used to carry it were derived from the Topol-M brings me to the fact that the TEL and canister for carrying the Hwasong-18 reminded me of that used for the Topol and Topol-M when it was first displayed during the February 2023 military parade marking the founding of the Korean People's Army in its current form.

[chinois02]

Hwasong-18 is a Topol-m dérivative....or not !
https://www.armscontrolwonk.com/archive/1218663/errors-in-postols-analysis-of-the-hwasong-18/

[Vahe231991]

Hwasong-18 is a Topol-m dérivative....or not !
https://www.armscontrolwonk.com/archive/1218663/errors-in-postols-analysis-of-the-hwasong-18/

Given that the coloration of the warhead fairing of the Hwasong-18 reminds me of that of the untested Pukkuksong-5 SLBM, I'm believe that the Hwasong-18 design has the upper stage derived from the Pukkuksong-5 and includes both Chinese ballistic missile tech and design attributes of Soviet-era SLBMs because developing a solid-fuel ICBM was a very uphill task for North Korea back in 2012 and modification of the Chinese WS51200 lumber truck chassis for use as a TEL for ICBMs by the DPRK raised suspicions of China abetting North Korea's ICBM development. An article recently posted on the 38 North blog also disagrees with the assessment by Theodore Postol of the Hwasong-18 design as having been influenced by the Topol-M and Yars. 

[Steven Pietrobon]

North Korea fired two short range ballistic missiles around 31 August in response to the US deploying B-1B bombers near Korea. The missiles look like Hwasong-Iskander (KN-23).

http://kcna.kp/en/article/q/0bbeef4d9c57a8f83b95525710828eea.kcmsf

"The missile unit fired two tactical ballistic missiles northeastward at Pyongyang International Airport and correctly carried out its nuclear strike mission through air bursts at a preset altitude of 400 meters above the target island."

[Satori]

North Korea launched a Hwasong-18 on December 18th.

http://www.kcna.kp/en/article/q/feb7d621d7ebcf48ca25eabab12b35ec.kcmsf

[catdlr]

[Steven Pietrobon]

From the KCNA press release.

"The missile traveled up to a maximum altitude of 6 518.2 km and flew a distance of 1 002.3 km for 4 415s before accurately landing on the preset area in the open waters off the East Sea of Korea."

Here's the KCTV broadcast on the launch.

https://kcnawatch.org/kctv-archive/6581a1fda8a8a/

[catdlr]

Kim Jong-un supervises the launch of a new hypersonic missile in North Korea

Apr 3, 2024  #politics #northkorea #KRT
North Korea successfully test-fired a new mid-to long-range solid-fuel, hypersonic missile, state-run television KRT said on Wednesday (April 3).

KRT released a video of state's leader Kim Jong Un overseeing the launch, and lauding it as a strategic weapon that demonstrates the "absolute superiority" of North Korea's defense technology.

With this, North Korea has "fully turned all tactical, operational, and strategic-grade missiles of different ranges into solid-fuel, with warhead control, and capable of nuclearisation," Kim said, according to state media.