Hwasong-17
Hwasong-17 | |
---|---|
Type | Intercontinental ballistic missile |
Place of origin | North Korea |
Service history | |
In service | 2020 - present |
Used by | Korean People's Army Strategic Force |
Production history | |
Produced | 2020 - present |
Specifications | |
Mass | ≈80,000–150,000 kilograms (180,000–330,000 lb)[1][2] |
Length | ≈24–26 m (79–85 ft)[1][2] |
Diameter | ≈2.4–2.9 metres (7.9–9.5 ft)[1][2] |
Warhead | nuclear weapon, possibly MRV |
Warhead weight | ≈2,000–3,500 kg (4,400–7,700 lb)[1][2] |
Engine | 2 RD-250-type rocket engines (first stage)[3][4] |
Propellant | liquid rocket engine |
Operational range | 15,000 km (9,300 mi)[5][6] |
Launch platform | 11-axle transporter erector launcher (TEL) |
The Hwasong-17 (Korean: 《화성포-17》형; Hancha: 火星砲 17型; lit. Mars Artillery Type 17) is a North Korean two-stage ICBM, first unveiled on 10 October 2020, at the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) parade.[7] The Japanese Ministry of Defence estimates its operational range at 15,000 km or more. Unlike its predecessors, the Hwasong-17 may be capable of carrying multiple warheads.[6][8] North Korea claimed the first Hwasong-17 was successfully launched on 24 March 2022.[9] Western analysts instead believe the 24 March launch was an earlier missile design, and a later test that took place on 18 November 2022 was the first successful test launch.[6]
Description
The Hwasong-17 is assumed to be a two-stage,
Japan's defense minister Yasukazu Hamada estimated the operational range of the Hwasong-17 as 15,000 km or more, if mounted with a sufficiently light warhead.[8][14] Ankit Panda of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace agreed that if the successful November missile test had been fired at the US instead of up into the air, it could easily reach anywhere in the continental United States.[15] An alleged unsuccessful test-flight of 2 November 2022 had suggested the Hwasong-17 might be unreliable. As of November 2022, it is unknown how much a large (for example, MRV) warhead would reduce Hwasong-17 range, and it is also unknown whether North Korean ICBM technology has the ability to deliver a warhead that survives re-entry into the atmosphere.[16]
Since the Hwasong-15 was already capable of striking most of the
In August 2021, commander of United States Northern Command Glen D. VanHerck stated that the "KN-28 missile has a much larger capability, and the total number of missiles tends to increase." This suggests that Hwasong-17 is designated as KN-28, not the KN-27.[18]
With its alleged test flight in March 2022,
The Hwasong-17 may also contribute to ICBM testing by acting as a
History
At the Self-Defence-2021 exhibition, the missile was shown labeled as the Hwasong-17.[22]
Test launches of the Hwasong-17 were carried out first on 26 February 2022, and again on 4 March. North Korea did not publicize news of the launches, with
A test launch of a disputed missile type was carried out by North Korea on 24 March 2022. The launch was a technical success that broke many records for North Korea, for example regarding height and flight time.[26] The footage of the launch may have been doctored, with missile analysts being unable to confirm that the missile that was launched on 24 March was a Hwasong-17,[27] due to inconsistencies with objects in the background of the launch, which matched to satellite imagery on an earlier date than 24 March. Two shots of the observation bus that Kim Jong-un was in appeared to be taken in different locations and grass that was burnt in a controlled burn appeared to be unburnt on Korean Central Television footage. South Korean intelligence alleges that the missile launched on 24 March was likely an improved and modified Hwasong-15, though NK News also stated that there may be other reasons for using old footage, such as a camera failure.[28]
At a parade on 8 February 2023 marking the 75th anniversary of the
Test launches
Attempt | Date | Location | Pre-launch announcement | Outcome | Additional notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 24 March 2022 | Sil-li missile facility, near Pyongyang International Airport.[9] | Signs of an ICBM or satellite launch were allegedly detected by USA.[9] | Success | First announced test of the Hwasong-17, with an apogee of 6248.5 km and a horizontal displacement of 1090 km, with a total flight time of 4052 seconds.
Kim Jong-un supervised the launch, and celebrated with soldiers and researchers from the Academy of National Defense Science.[19]
The launch could have instead been an extended range Hwasong-15, with video footage of the launch being inconsistent with the conditions on 24 March.[28] |
2 | 18 November 2022 | Pyongyang International Airport | None | Success | Second test firing of Hwasong-17 that has been publicly acknowledged by North Korean state media. Kim Jong Un supervised the launch along with his wife and daughter.[31]
The missile was fired at 10:14 am local time from Pyongyang International Airport located in Sunan district of North Korea, and flew on a lofted trajectory covering a distance of 999.2 km and reaching a maximum altitude of 6040.9 km. The total flight time was 4135 seconds.[31] |
3 | 15 March 2023 | Pyongyang International Airport | None | Success | Third test firing of Hwasong-17 that has been publicly acknowledged by North Korean state media. Kim Jong-un supervised the launch along with his wife and daughter.[32]
The missile was fired at 7:09 am local time from Pyongyang International Airport, and flew on a lofted trajectory covering a distance of 1000.2 km and reaching a maximum altitude of approximately 6045 km. The total flight time was 4151 seconds.[33] |
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e "North Korea Unveils Two New Strategic Missiles in October 10 Parade | 38 North: Informed Analysis of North Korea". 38 North. 2020-10-10. Retrieved 2020-10-11.
- ^ a b c d e Does Size Matter? North Korea’s Newest ICBM. 38 North. 21 October 2020.
- ^ a b Burying the Lead: North Korea Conceals That “Spy Satellite” Tests Are First Launches of New Large ICBM. 38 North. 16 March 2022.
- ^ a b North Korea’s March 24 ICBM Launch: What if It Was the Hwasong-17?. 38 North. 7 April 2022.
- ^ a b 24 March 2022 DPRK ICBM Test. Open Nuclear Network. 25 March 2022.
- ^ a b c "North Korea: What missiles does it have?". BBC News. 2022-10-06. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
- ^ Smith, Hyonhee; Shin, Josh (2020-10-11). "North Korea unveils 'monster' new intercontinental ballistic missile at parade". Reuters. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
- ^ a b Smith, Josh (19 November 2022). "Factbox: North Korea's new Hwasong-17 'monster missile'". Reuters. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
- ^ a b c "North Korea test-launched new 'Hwasong-17' ICBM for first time, state media says". NK News. 2022-03-24. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
- ^ "North Korea's Military Parade: Hwasong-16 Has Arrived?". 19FortyFive. 2020-10-10. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
- ^ "North Korea displays unseen ICBMs in military parade". www.army-technology.com. 12 October 2020. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
- ^ North Korea Parades New Missile. Arms Control Association. 1 November 2020.
- ^ a b NORTH KOREA’S TWO NEW STRATEGIC MISSILES: WHAT DO WE KNOW AND WHAT DO THEY MEAN FOR US DETERRENCE?. Modern War Institute. 15 October 2020.
- ^ "North Korea test-fires ICBM with range to strike entire US". ABC News. 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
- ^ "What do we know about North Korea's 'monster missile'?". dw.com. 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
- ^ "Experts: North Korea Testing 'Monster' ICBM Designed to Attack US". VOA. 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
- ^ North Korea Threw a Nuke Parade to Flaunt These Frightening New Weapons. Popular Mechanics. 12 October 2020.
- ^ Grady, John (2021-08-18). "Russia is Top Military Threat to U.S. Homeland, Air Force General Says". USNI News. Retrieved 2021-12-12.
- ^ a b "KCNA | Article | Striking Demonstration of Great Military Muscle of Juche Korea". Korean Central News Agency. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
- ^ Reentry of North Korea’s Hwasong-15 Missile. Union of Concerned Scientists. 7 December 2017.
- ^ First Flight of North Korea’s “Chollima-1” SLV Fails, but More Launches and More New SLVs Are Likely. 38 North. 7 June 2023.
- ^ Brief on the Defence Development Exhibition of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Archived 2022-03-29 at the Wayback Machine. One Earth Future. 20 October 2021.
- ^ North Korea Has Tested New ICBM System, Pentagon Reveals. Air Force Magazine. 11 March 2022.
- ^ "Tweet". Twitter. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
- ^ Revisiting the Hwasong-17/15 Controversy: What if North Korea Had Launched a Hwasong-15?. 38 North. 27 April 2022.
- ^ "North Korea confirms missile testing and says Kim Jong-un oversaw launch". the Guardian. 2022-03-25. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
- ^ "Analysis of HS-17 ICBM launches". www.b14643.de. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
- ^ a b "Imagery casts doubt over North Korea's Hwasong-17 ICBM claims". NK PRO. 2022-03-25. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
- ^ North Korea displays enough ICBMs to overwhelm U.S. defense system against them. Politico. 8 February 2023.
- ^ North Korea’s Feb. 8 Parade Highlights ICBMs and Tactical Nukes. 38 North. 15 February 2023.
- ^ a b "Hwasong-17 test fired on November 18th". Rodong Sinmun. Workers Party Of Korea. Archived from the original on 22 November 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
- ^ "North Korea confirms fired ICBM, says it was Hwasong-17". Al Jazeera. 17 March 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
- ^ Dempsey, Joseph (2023-03-16). "Joseph Dempsey on Twitter: "North Korea conducted another lofted trajectory ICBM launch. ▶️1000km 🔼6000km 🕖07:09-08:19 Local (Thu)/22:09-23:09 GMT (Wed)" / Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 2023-03-19.