{"id":53699,"date":"2017-12-01T05:50:31","date_gmt":"2017-12-01T05:50:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=53699"},"modified":"2017-12-01T05:50:31","modified_gmt":"2017-12-01T05:50:31","slug":"why-north-koreas-latest-ballistic-missile-test-is-worrisome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/world-news\/why-north-koreas-latest-ballistic-missile-test-is-worrisome.html","title":{"rendered":"Why North Korea’s latest ballistic missile test is worrisome"},"content":{"rendered":"

Why North Korea’s latest ballistic missile test is worrisome<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

In this occasional series, we will bring you up to speed on the biggest national security stories of the week.<\/span><\/p>\n

On Wednesday, North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile that may be capable of reaching the U.S. mainland. The regime is calling it the Hwasong-15, which translates to \u201cMars\u201d in Korean. North Korea\u2019s state media marked the launch by showing video images of the missile blasting off, as a newscaster proclaimed that it could carry a \u201csuper large heavy warhead.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The missile flew 10 times higher than the International Space Station and 500 miles higher than previous missile tests of its kind. It was in the air for about 50 minutes, flying eight minutes longer than previous tests before crashing into the Sea of Japan. Analysts say that its range was more than enough to reach the United States if the missile traveled on a flatter trajectory. In general, experts agreed that the launch was a significant step forward in North Korea\u2019s missile development.<\/span><\/p>\n

After the launch, President Trump called China\u2019s President Xi Jinping and vowed to impose more sanctions on Pyongyang. Yet North Korea has defied all previous rounds of sanctions, conducting 20 missile tests this year alone. On Thursday, Trump criticized the Chinese envoy to North Korea as having \u201cno impact on Little Rocket Man\u201d and vowed to \u201ctake care of it.\u201d Trump has previously threatened that North Korea will be met with \u201cfire and fury like the world has never seen.\u201d However, North Korea experts say that any military option would result in massive casualties.<\/span><\/p>\n

What do we know about the launch?<\/span><\/p>\n

The test was conducted just before 3 a.m. local time on a cold night just outside the capital, an unusual time since nighttime launches are rare. Previous tests have typically occurred between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Shea Cotton, a research associate at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, said North Korea has favored mid-mornings because \u201cthey have a full day of sun to try and collect the pieces\u201d if something goes wrong. However, no one knows for sure how North Korea makes its decisions. Analysts say another possibility could be that North Korea wanted to show how unpredictable it can be to rattle its neighbors.<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s new about the Hwasong-15?<\/span><\/p>\n

North Korea released photos of the ballistic missile a day after its launch. The Washington Post\u2019s Anna Fifield did a complete breakdown of the missile, but here are the basics:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2013 North Korea claims the transporter erector launcher \u2014 the vehicle used to move the missile \u2014 has one more axle than the previous version. Analysts believe they are modified Chinese trucks.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2013 The nose cone is much blunter than on previous versions, indicating that the missile was designed to slow as it flies and protect the warhead as it comes back down.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2013 The missiles likely carried a small payload, allowing it to fly farther. If outfitted with a more standard payload, the missile would \u201cbarely reach Seattle.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2013 There were likely two additional engines that gave the missile a higher altitude.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2013 North Korean analysts were surprised to see more advanced steering of the missile via gimbaling. \u201cThis is a sort of maneuvering which is pretty fancy. You lose the least thrust that way,\u201d said Scott LaFoy, an imagery analyst for NK News.<\/span><\/p>\n

What can the U.S. do about this?<\/span><\/p>\n

The boost phase for an intercontinental ballistic missiles is about three to five minutes, allowing it to climb quickly. Missile defense systems are particularly vulnerable to its speed and the ability to travel long distances. An ICBM has a minimum range of 3,400 miles, but experts estimate that the Hwasong-15 had a maximum range of 8,100 miles. North Korea\u2019s capital and Washington, D.C., are about 6,800 miles apart.<\/span><\/p>\n

The United States has several options, but the main deterrent is the ground-based midcourse defense program. Trump has previously claimed that the system can knock out an ICBM \u201c97 percent of the time\u201d \u2014 but that\u2019s not the case. In testing the system, the Pentagon concluded that it has only limited defense capabilities. Before it shot down a mock ICBM over the Pacific, the system failed seven times in 17 tests. It uses a five-foot-long \u201ckill vehicle\u201d to shoot down an incoming warhead.<\/span><\/p>\n

The head of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency said the Pacific test proved that the system worked effectively under a \u201crealistic\u201d test. However, some experts have questioned the statement and pointed out that they are performed in a controlled environment.<\/span><\/p>\n

Source:-\u00a0https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/news\/checkpoint\/wp\/2017\/11\/30\/why-north-koreas-latest-ballistic-missile-test-is-worrisome\/?utm_term=.1a95023e35c3<\/span><\/p>\n

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