HWASONG-18 – DEFENCE & SECURITY
News: North
Korea fires new missile in response to U.S. military activity
What's in the news?
● North
Korea test-fired its first intercontinental ballistic missile in three months,
days after it threatened "shocking" consequences to protest what it
called provocative U.S. military activity near its territory.
Key takeaways:
● The
Hwasong-18 ICBM flew about 1,000 km before landing in waters between the Korean
Peninsula and Japan.
Hwasong-18 ICBM:
● It
is one of the three major ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile) of North
Korea.
● It
uses high-thrust solid-fuel engines, the stage-jettisoning technology and
various functional control systems.
● It
is capable of reaching all of the United States mainland (including Washington
D.C.).
● It
was designed to carry a “super-large heavy warhead and nuclear warheads”.
● It
has an operational range of 15,000 km.