North Korea announces test of hypersonic missile

North Korea qualifies for hypersonic missiles in 2021 “First Priorities” Its five-year plan. Confirmed this in 2022. On Thursday, January 6, KCNA, the official North Korean agency, announced that Pyongyang had carried out a test shot. “Ogive Hypersonic”. He has “Accurately hit the target at a distance of 700 km”, According to KCNA.

The agency did not specify the speed of the projectile fired and the neighbors did not release an estimate, but hypersonic missiles typically reach speeds of up to five times the speed of Mac5 or sound.

Launch enabled “Reaffirm the air control and stability of the missile during the active flight phase and evaluate the effectiveness of the new lateral propulsion technique used on the disassembled hypersonic warship.”, KCNA Also demonstrates the correct functioning of the test “Fuel bulb system in winter weather conditions”, According to the company.

This is the second time that North Korea has launched a sophisticated weapon, a hypersonic missile, testifying to advances in North Korea’s defense. After the Hwasong-8 test in September 2021, the South Korean military estimated the missile to be in its early stages of development.

Fast and maneuverable missiles

This type of missile is faster and more maneuverable than a standard missile, making it very difficult for security systems to intercept, for which the United States spends billions of dollars. Depending on their design, supersonic missiles can carry conventional or nuclear weapons and change the strategic balance.

Wednesday, South Korea and Japan have discovered Pyongyang firing an unidentified missile, believed to be a ballistic missile., In the sea east of the peninsula (Sea of ​​Japan, or East Sea, as the Korean name implies). The United States has condemned the shooting, according to them. “Many violate UN Security Council resolutions and pose a threat to North Korea’s neighbors and the international community.”.

This first arms test in 2022 follows a year of major tests, despite the severe impact of the epidemic on the country’s economy. The crisis has not affected military plans and Pyongyang continues to expand its arsenal, according to a UN report released in October 2021. But in the country, concerns of a severe food crisis have grown and a United Nations human rights expert warned in October 2021. Vulnerable “Threatened by famine”.