Monster Missile Hwasong-17
North Korea has test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) named Hwasong-17. This missile is the biggest ICBM ever developed.
Overview:
- This missile can potentially deliver a nuclear warhead to any United States location.
- This missile is being named a ‘monster missile’ by analysts.
- In 2020, at a military parade that was held to mark the ruling Workers’ Party’s 75th anniversary, this missile was first displayed to the public.
- In Pyongyang, in 2021, it was again displayed at a defense exhibition.
- Due to this missile’s size, it is being speculated that the Hwasong-17 can carry multiple decoys and warheads so as to efficiently penetrate a country’s missile defense system.
Specifications of this missile
The Hwasong-17 flew at an altitude of 6248.5 km for 1090 km. During the testing of this missile, it also hit a target that was placed in the Sea of Japan. This missile was airborne for 67.5 minutes. In 2017, the previously tested Hwasong-15 covered 950 km over 53 minutes and reached around 4,475 km altitude.
Unlike the country’s previous testing of ICBM, the Hwasong-17 missile was launched for testing from a Transporter Erector Launcher (TEL) vehicle.
This missile is the world’s largest liquid-fuelled ICBM. The diameter of this missile is between 2.4 and 2.5 meters. When fully fuelled, it has a total mass of around 80,000 to 1,10,000 kg.
Month: Current Affairs - March, 2022
Category: Defence Current Affairs • International / World Current Affairs