1 of 5 North Korean leader Kim Jongun has constant presence at weapons tests — Photo: Korea News Service/AP North Korean leader Kim Jongun has constant presence at weapons tests — Photo: Korea News Service/AP
North Korea has ramped up its testing of new weapons over the past five years, demonstrating the maturity of its arsenal. The new North Korean push would be an underwater drone capable of generating a “radioactive tsunami” that would destroy assault fleets and naval ports.
Pyongyang claims its nuclear forces are capable of crushing its rivals and often conducts provocative weapons tests, the results of which are widely publicized.
Foreign experts are questioning the country’s actual nuclear war power. Despite the military superiority of the alliance of rivals USA and South Korea, the new systems tested by Pyongyang could cause real damage in the event of war.
There is no doubt that North Korea has nuclear bombs and missiles capable of reaching the continent in the United States, South Korea and Japan. It is unclear whether the country has mastered the complicated technology required to assemble the bombs and rockets.
Check out the new warfare systems tested by Pyongyang in recent years:
Shortrange ballistic missiles
Since 2019, after the failed dialogue with Washington, North Korea has started testing these new systems to renew its tactical arsenal and equip it with nuclear capabilities. In operational terms, this is the most real threat at the moment due to the proximity of South Korean territory and the presence of American bases in the region.
2 of 5 Pyongyang has stepped up weapons testing over the past five years — Photo: KCNA via Portal Pyongyang has stepped up weapons testing over the past five years — Photo: KCNA via Portal
The KN25 is a large caliber multiple rocket launcher. The KN23 and KN24 are shortrange, solidfueled missiles capable of trajectories that are not fully ballistic, making them difficult to intercept. These systems are referred to as “tactical” nuclear weapons.
Apparently inspired by the Russian Iskander, the KN23 appears to be the regime’s preferred system, due to the number of tests performed and the variations in the design of the projectile or its launch platforms. This type of missile is designed to be maneuverable and lowflying, theoretically giving it a better chance of evading South Korean and American missile defense systems.
According to North Korea’s state news agency KCNA, these new artillery systems can carry nuclear warheads, and just four missiles would be enough to wipe out an airbase. The nuclear capability of these systems has not been independently verified.
Although the country is managing to fit some of its legacy missiles, like the Scuds and Rodong, with simple nuclear warheads, further technological advances and more nuclear testing to build smaller and more sophisticated warheads for use in the new tactical systems would likely be needed. rate experts. .
hypersonic missile
First mentioned at North Korea’s eighth oneparty congress in January 2021, the hypersonic missile began testing in different variations that same year.
3 of 5 The country highlighted ICBMs at the February military parade — Photo: KCNA via Portal The country highlighted ICBMs at the February military parade — Photo: KCNA via Portal
The regime then presented an allegedly operational or nearly operational system, the Hwasong8 an intermediaterange missile that can reach up to 3,000 kilometers, i.e. can reach American bases in Japan and Guam.
In theory, the Hwasong8 can even dodge missile shields.
longrange cruise missile
Since September 2021, Pyongyang has repeatedly tested different variants of remotecontrolled, highprecision, longrange missiles. That year, the country announced the names of two tested models: Hwasal1 and Hwasal2, which would have a capacity of 1,500 and 2,000 kilometers respectively.
Seoul and Washington appear to have difficulty detecting these launches, because although these models can only travel at subsonic speeds, they can fly in erratic patterns and very close to the ground for more than two hours.
In midMarch, Pyongyang announced that it had successfully fired two longrange strategic missiles from a submarine for the first time, the flight characteristics of which appear to correspond to those of the Hwasal1.
Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM)
After an initial and apparently failed attempt in March 2022, the North Korean regime twice successfully launched an ICBM.
With a range of more than 15,000 kilometers theoretically capable of reaching any region on earth except South America the missile was only launched at a high angle to prevent it from overflying other countries. Only a launch with operational trajectories would make it possible to know whether the projectile is capable of withstanding the harsh conditions of reentry into Earth’s atmosphere.
In any case, Hwasong17 is the ideal system for the regime to develop a multiple nuclear warhead a resource that, under operational conditions, could test US antimissile shields.
In addition to the Hwasong17, North Korea has two other ICBMs: the Hwasong14 and the Hwasong15. All three are liquidfueled and would have nuclear capabilities.
There are doubts whether the country already has the technology to protect the warheads from the high temperatures and the highly polluted environment when the missile reenters the Earth’s atmosphere.
At a military parade earlier this year, North Korea displayed about a dozen ICBMs, an unprecedented number that would indicate progress in its efforts to massproduce powerful weapons.
4 of 5 Kim’s daughter showed up alongside her father during military tests — Photo: KCNA/Portal Kim’s daughter showed up alongside her father during military tests — Photo: KCNA/Portal
Nuclear Submarine Drone
The latest announcement of a supposedly bellicose advance would be the unmanned underwater drone, which could unleash a “radioactive tsunami” that would destroy naval assault fleets and ports. “This submarine nuclear attack device can be placed on any coast and port or towed by a surface vessel,” KCNA reported.
The tested underwater drone is similar to the Russian system known as Poseidon, which causes huge waves of pollution when it explodes. These types of weapons can not only destroy navies and infrastructure, but also wreak havoc on the environment in coastal regions that would remain contaminated on land and in the surrounding waters for decades.
5 of 5 The country has tested different types of missile systems in the last five years — Photo: KCNA/Portal The country has tested different types of missile systems in the last five years — Photo: KCNA/Portal
According to KCNA, development of the underwater drone began in 2012 and has already undergone 50 types of tests over the past two years, including 29 in the presence of North Korean leader Kim Jongun.
Analysts also cast doubt on the claims due to the high level of complexity such a system requires. Russia claims to have deployed underwater drones for months, despite the project being shrouded in intense secrecy. However, it is known that the Russian system needs nuclear propulsion a capability that Pyongyang does not have.
nuclear warheads
North Korea is said to have dozens of nuclear warheads. Estimates of their number range from 20 to 60 to 115.
The main question is whether they are compact enough to fit on a rocket. Experts differ in this ability. Some argue that given the many years the country has invested in the nuclear program, the country has likely already achieved this technology. Others say Pyongyang is far from building such warheads.
So far, the country has conducted six underground nuclear tests to create warheads that can be used in its projectiles. At the last, in 2017, Pyongyang said it was the detonation of a thermonuclear bomb built for ICBMs. The explosion produced a magnitude 6.3 aftershock, and studies estimate the explosive content to be between 50 and 140 kilotons of TNT.
For comparison, the two atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II, which killed 210,000 people, contained 15 and 20 kilotons of TNT, respectively.
Seoul estimates that North Korea has 70 kilograms of plutonium for nuclear weapons, as well as a significant amount of enriched uranium.
North Korea’s Yongbyon complex has facilities for the production of plutonium and highly enriched uranium, the two main components of nuclear weapons. Pyongyang is also believed to have at least one other secret uranium enrichment site.