The North Korean KCNA news Agency reported that on April 2, 2024, the DPRK conducted the first test launch of a new Hwasongpo-16na (화성포-16나, Hwasong-16B) solid-fuel ballistic missile equipped with a hypersonic gliding warhead. The launch was attended by the head of the DPRK, Comrade Kim Jong-un. The missile was launched from a 7-axis self-propelled wheeled launcher-transporter, and, according to official data, its hypersonic gliding combat unit reached a maximum altitude of 101.1 km, and then 72.3 km, and fell in a given area of the Sea of Japan at a distance of 1000 km.
The new North Korean solid-fuel intermediate-range ballistic missile Hwasongpo-16na (화성포-16나, Hwasong-16B) with a hypersonic gliding warhead on a self-propelled transporter launcher before the first test launch, 04/02/2024 (c) KCNA
The KCNA message reads:
Pyongyang, April 3. /KCNA/- Thanks to the selfless efforts of scientists in the field of state defense, who with indomitable convictions and accurate practice support the plan and decisions of our party aimed at comprehensively strengthening the powerful state defense capability, one after another powerful absolute weapons of our model are continuously being born. In such a period of full flourishing in the development of the Juche defense industry, a test launch of a new medium-long-range hypersonic missile with another military strategic value was successfully carried out.
On April 2, the Secretary General of the CPC, Chairman of State Affairs of the DPRK, dear Comrade Kim Jong-un, supervised the first test launch of a new Hwasongpo-16na medium-range solid-fuel ballistic missile equipped with a newly developed hypersonic gliding warhead on site.
He was accompanied by the deputy head of the department of the Central Committee of the CPC, Kim Jong Sik.
Comrade Kim Jong-un was met on the spot by the head of the General Directorate of Rocket Engineering, Army General Chang Chang Ha, and senior personnel of scientific research units in the field of defense.
The test launch is aimed at confirming the general design and technical characteristics of the new medium-long-range hypersonic missile, and checking the reliability of the weapon system.
The first test launch of this new weapon system was carried out in this way: to confirm the peculiarity of the trajectory of the gliding and jumping flight of the hypersonic gliding warhead, its lateral maneuverability, taking into account safety, artificially limiting speed and altitude by setting a maximum range of up to a thousand kilometers, by slowing down the start of the second stage engine and a sharp change in trajectory in the active flight section.
All the fighters of defense science, who were once again lucky enough to show Comrade Kim Jong-un powerful ultra-modern weapons at the cosmodrome, which will reliably protect the sovereignty of our state, were filled with boundless pride for the scientist of a great military power, self-confidence and military enthusiasm. Comrade Kim Jong-un, with noble responsibility for the fate of the Motherland and the people, with unshakable will and inexhaustible energy, personally paved untold untold paths to the development and improvement of ultra-modern weapons, and also makes endless selfless efforts for their continuous rapid development.
Dear Comrade Kim Jong-un, at the launch position, specifically familiarized himself with the weapon system, inspecting the new Hwasongpo-16na medium-long-range solid-fuel ballistic missile equipped with a hypersonic gliding warhead.
Then Comrade Kim Jong-un went up to the command and observation post, where he received a report on the plan for the test launch of a new medium-long-range hypersonic missile, and ordered the launch.
The head of the General Directorate of Rocket Engineering, Army General Chang Chang Ha, commanded the test launch.
Immediately after the order, an ultra-modern rocket was launched under deafening thunder, vividly demonstrating the military power of our Republic.
The warhead of a hypersonic gliding flight after separation from a missile launched from the landfill of one military unit in the vicinity of It flew northeastward from Pyongyang, along the planned flight path, reaching the first maximum altitude of 101.1 km and the second maximum altitude of 72.3 km, and accurately hit the waters of the Korean East Sea at a distance of 1000 km.
The test launch did not have any negative impact on the security of the surrounding countries.
The test launch clearly confirmed the fast and excellent maneuverability of the newly developed hypersonic gliding warhead, and during verification in the harsh conditions of the test launch, the most important military strategic value of the new medium-long-range hypersonic missile was assessed as very significant.
Dear Comrade Kim Jong-un expressed full satisfaction with the result of the test launch and highly appreciated the merits of senior officials, scientists and technicians of the defense science industry, who resolutely rose to the development of Juche weapons to implement the strategic intentions of the Central Committee of the party, showed selfless loyalty and patriotism, and sincerely and flawlessly executed the order of the party at the highest level.
He proudly said: another powerful strategic offensive weapon was born, demonstrating the absolute superiority of our defense scientific and technical forces, as a result of which we fully and flawlessly carried out the use of solid fuel, warhead control and nuclear armament of all tactical, operational and strategic missiles of various ranges, thus we had the opportunity to brilliantly implement 3 principles of the Central Committee of the party in the construction of missile weapons: "quickly, accurately, powerfully" at any enemy object in the zone of the whole Earth.
He noted that today's amazing successes are a special event that will bring a huge change in the build-up of nuclear war deterrence forces of the armed forces of our Republic, and are also an invaluable result of our ten-year harsh scientific research struggle in the field of defense, a demonstration of the rightness of our party's line on building self-defense and a glorious victory won by our forces, intelligence and dedication.
Comrade Kim Jong-un mentioned in a stern tone the military confrontational behavior of the enemy against the Republic, which has recently been hourly threatening the security of our state, even more striving to strengthen the military alliance and expanding a variety of military exercises. And he said: currently, the buildup of overwhelming forces capable of deterring and controlling the enemy is the most urgent task for our state, therefore, research units in the field of defense should be more faithful to their historical duty to continuously strengthen the most powerful state defense capability, thereby continuously achieving great success one after another.
He assured that our party will continuously, rapidly and more consistently increase its self-defensive defense capability in order to reliably protect the well-being, prosperity and future of the state.
And he set strategic goals to achieve a lasting leap and progress in the development of ultra-modern weapons by further extraordinarily increasing the independence and modernity of the Juche defense industry.
All scientists in the field of state defense, who have received great confidence and military inspiration from Comrade Kim Jong-un, are filled with fervent determination, with loyalty to the leadership of the Central Committee of the party, to work selflessly with tenfold energy in the sacred struggle for further strengthening the arsenal of the Juche revolution, in order to reliably strengthen the invincible state defense capability with continuous success in the development of ultra-modern tactical and strategic weapons systems.
KCNA photos (via imp_navigator ):
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