The Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces of South Korea reported that on the morning of November 18, 2022, an intercontinental ballistic missile was test-launched in the direction of the Sea of Japan in the DPRK. According to the South Korean military, the rocket was launched from the area of Sunan International Airport near Pyongyang along a high-altitude ballistic trajectory, the rocket reached an altitude of 6100 km and its head fell in a given area of the Sea of Japan at a distance of about 1000 km, the flight duration was 66 minutes, while the speed M = 22 was reached. According to Western data, the second full-scale successful flight test of the North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile Hwasong-17 (Hwasongpo-17, Hwasong 17, American designation KN-28) took place in this launch, the maximum range of which is estimated to be more than 15,000 km, which gives it the opportunity to reach any point in the United States.
Test launch of the North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile "Hwasong-17", 11/18/2022 (c) KCNAAt the same time, on November 18, the DPRK launched four intermediate-range ballistic missiles towards the Sea of Japan.
Recall that the US Department of Defense on March 10, 2022 reported that the DPRK missile launches on February 26 and March 4, 2022 were the first flight tests of a new North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile "Hwasong-17" (Hwasong 17) on a mobile conveyor on an 11-axle wheeled chassis, first demonstrated at the famous Pyongyang military parade in In honor of the 75th anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea on October 10, 2020. Both tests in March-April were not carried out at full range (in the launch on March 4, the flight range was about 1000 km), and apparently aimed at testing individual rocket stages.
The Hwasong-17 rocket, first demonstrated at the parade on October 10, 2020, still in a mock-up version (originally designated by Western commentators as Hwasong 16, the actual name was announced at the Self-Defense 2021 defense exhibition in Pyongyang in October 2021) has two stages with liquid rocket engines. The length of the rocket is 26 m, the diameter is 2.7 m. The launch is actually carried out from an 11-axis mobile conveyor.
The first attempt at a full-fledged flight test of the Hwasong-17 ICBM, according to Western data, was made on March 16, 2022, but ended in failure, as a rocket launched from the Sunan airport area exploded shortly after launch at an altitude of about 20 km.
The first successful test launch of the Hwasong-17 ICBM was carried out on March 24, 2022, when a rocket launched from the Sunan Airport area along a high-altitude ballistic trajectory reached an altitude of 6248.5 km and its head fell in a given area of the Sea of Japan at a distance of 1090 km. The flight time was 67.5 minutes.
Another launch of Hwasong-17, according to Western sources, was made from Sunan on May 25, 2022, but the rocket flew only 470 km, reaching an altitude of 780 km. It is unclear whether this was an unsuccessful launch or another "incomplete" development test.
On November 19, 2022, the North Korean official KCNA news agency distributed a message under the headlines "Nuclear weapons - for nuclear weapons, frontal confrontation - for frontal confrontation. A solemn declaration of the firm, unchanging will of the TPK to fight the enemies. Dear Comrade Kim Jong-un supervised the on-site test launch of a new type of ICBM of the strategic armed forces of the DPRK," which reads:
In an environment of strict implementation of the first priority strategy on defense construction of our party and the Government of the Republic, aimed at constantly increasing the super-powerful and absolute nuclear deterrent forces, on November 18, a test launch of a new type of ICBM of the strategic armed forces of the DPRK was carried out.
The current test launch was carried out in an unacceptable situation, when the insane military confrontational hysteria of the United States and hostile forces, which persistently bring the military-political situation on the Korean peninsula to a dangerous edge, exceeds the limit, and even at the UN site, hypocritical and robber paradoxes are rationalized, calling every use of the right of a sovereign state to self-defense a provocation.
The Secretary General of the Workers' Party of Korea (CPC), Chairman of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Comrade Kim Jong-un, supervised the test launch of a new type of ICBM on the spot.
With Comrade Kim Jong-un, the main cadres of the Central Committee of the CPC, including Cho Yong-won, Lee Il-hwan, Jung hyun-chor, Lee Chun-gir and Kim Jong-sik, watched the test launch.
At the launch site, Comrade Kim Jong-un was met by Colonel-General Chang Chang Ha, senior personnel of the defense research field and commanders of the Red Company.
The test launch of a new type of ICBM was carried out in order to verify the reliability of the weapons system and the accuracy of its operation.
The new type of ICBM "Hwasongpo-17", launched at Pyongyang International Airport, flew for 4135 seconds, the flight range was 998 km, and the maximum altitude was 6040.9 km. The missile hit the intended water area in the open sea of the Korean East Sea.
The results of the test launch clearly confirmed the reliability of an important new type of strategic weapons system, which will represent our state strategic forces, and a powerful combat characteristic as the most powerful strategic weapon in the world.
Dear Comrade Kim Jong-un, encouraging the success of the test launch, said that he once again confirmed that our nuclear armed forces have mastered another trusting, most powerful ability to suppress any nuclear threats.
Dear Comrade Kim Jong-un noted that the very dangerous recent situation, when an open military threat of the United States and hostile forces is observed in the zone near our state, more urgently requires us to practically accelerate the increase of the overwhelming forces of nuclear deterrence.
Dear Comrade Kim Jong-un mentioned the need to demonstrate clearer actions of the United States, South Korea and other satellites in the current situation, so that they understand that military countermeasures to our actions are self-destruction, and break their heads over a wise choice to improve their security situation. He noted that it is necessary to demonstrate the super-rigid will of our party and government to retaliate in response to the insane aggressive military exercises of enemies trying to disrupt peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and in the region. And he said that if the American imperialists continue to resort to military bluff on and around the Korean Peninsula, focusing on "strengthening the provision of increased deterrence forces" to the allies and military exercises, then our military response will become more offensive.
Dear Comrade Kim Jong-un solemnly declared that if the enemies continue to threaten us by importing nuclear strike weapons too often, then our party and the Government of the Republic will resolutely respond to nuclear weapons with nuclear weapons, and to frontal confrontation with frontal confrontation.
Dear Comrade Kim Jong-un once again stressed our party's strategy on defense construction, aimed at the continuous build-up and strengthening of strategic nuclear weapons. And he noted that the defense research field should give a more powerful impetus to the development of strategic weapons of our sample based on the principles of Juche, and ICBM units and all tactical nuclear units should honorably fulfill their important strategic task in any situation and at any moment by strengthening military training with high vigilance.
All senior officials and scientists in the field of defense science, fighters of the strategic nuclear weapons unit took a firm oath to become absolute fans and true loyal soldiers to dear Comrade Kim Jong-un, who, together with his beloved daughter and wife, went to the site of the historic test launch of an important strategic weapon, which is an important milestone in strengthening the nuclear armed forces of the Republic, and he personally supervised the entire process of the test launch, and also fervently inspired scientists and fighters in the field of defense, instilled in a powerful march to strengthen the state strategic nuclear armed forces even greater strength and a hundredfold courage, illuminated the path to eternal victory. And they have strengthened their ardent determination to continue building up our powerful strategic armed forces at an accelerated pace and to hold nuclear weapons more firmly in their hands in order to forever defend the party and the revolution, the Motherland and the people.
KCNA also distributed official photos of the launch on November 18. Judging by them, not only Kim Jong-un's wife was present at the launch, but also his daughter for the first time.
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Test launch of the North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile "Hwasong-17", 11/18/2022 (c) KCNAThe scheme of the test launch of the North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile "Hwasong-17" 18.11.2022 (c) Yonhap
The scheme of the test launch of the North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile "Hwasong-17" 18.11.2022 (c) Jonathan McDowell @planet4589
