North Korea has sent a clear message to to president Biden, and that is it’s demand to be taken seriously and a threat.
As part of its renewed missile testing under the Biden presidency, North Korea test-fired its largest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) to date for the first time on Thursday. The first full ICBM test by nuclear-armed North Korea since 2017, this ‘monster missile’ can potentially drop several nuclear warheads on any city or target in the United States.
North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, said it was designed to demonstrate the might of its nuclear force and deter any U.S. military moves. Their return to major weapons tests poses a direct challenge to President Biden as he responds to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Flight data indicated the missile flew higher and longer than any of North Korea’s previous ICBM tests. Also, unlike North Korea’s previous ballistic missile tests, images from North Korea’s Central News Agency (KCNA) show that the newly designated Hwasong-17 launched directly from a massive 11-axle Transporter Erector Launcher (TEL) vehicle. The Hwasong-17 ‘monster missile’ is the largest road-mobile, liquid-fueled ICBM in the world.
Most significant though, is the massive weapon’s potential to carry multiple warheads. Reuters added that:
The Hwasong-17’s size has prompted analysts to speculate that it will be designed to carry multiple warheads and decoys to better penetrate missile defences.
Some observers said that the satellite technology that North Korea claimed to have tested in the Feb. 27 and March 5 launches could also be used for a multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV) system, potentially allowing a single missile to drop nuclear warheads on different targets.
Adding MIRVs to the mix adds another complicating factor for U.S. defense planners who need to prepare for this growing North Korean threat. Hopefully, with a united front, the GOP will be able to defeat china where Biden couldn’t.