North Korea Tests Hypersonic Missile with Solid Fuel for First Time Since 2022
North Korea announced today that on Sunday it tested an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) that runs on solid fuel and flies hypersonic, a type of weapon that Pyongyang has not tested since 2022 and that may pose a future threat to US bases in the Pacific. “The objective of the test was to verify the gliding and navigation characteristics of the intermediate-range hypersonic maneuverable controlled warhead, as well as the reliability of the recently developed high-performance solid fuel engines for the different phases (of the projectile),” explained the state agency KCNA, which added that the test “was carried out successfully.”
KCNA did not mention the presence of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during the launch, indicating that the missile may be in an early phase of development.
The North Korean regime previously tested missiles in 2021 and 2022 that it called “hypersonic,” but those used liquid fuel, considered less efficient. The newly tested missile is equipped with a warhead that appears to be of the MaRV type (maneuverable reentry vehicle), capable of maneuvering and modifying its trajectory to evade anti-missile systems.
The apparent trajectory of the missile did not serve to test the maneuverability of the MaRV of an IRBM missile, designed to hit targets that are at least 3,000 kilometers away. The two solid fuel engines used in the new missile were tested on test benches in mid-November, and many expected the regime to subject them to a first flight test soon.
The test violates UN resolutions that prohibit the use of ballistic missile technology by Pyongyang and has evoked warnings of an overwhelming response from the US if North Korea chooses to carry out a direct provocation.
The announcement about the test of the new missile coincides with the departure of North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui to Russia for a three-day visit, during which she is expected to meet with her Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov. This trip comes as new evidence suggests that the regime transferred short-range ballistic missiles to Russia, in addition to hundreds of thousands of artillery rounds. This cooperation agreement was forged during a summit held in September by Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin.