Hwasong-16B IRBM

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When North Korea has a better hypersonics program than you. (One wonders if Lil' Kim lit the fuse himself.)
 
A big change from all the parade props they've been showing the past years.
 
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Dilandu said:
Well, the booster itself is solid-fuel and does not need much protection from elements. Hypersonic glider, on the other hand, needed such protection.
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The glide vehicle is covered in nice, ionizing ablative that degrades with exposure to cold and moisture.
 
Kim Jong-un supervises the launch of a new hypersonic missile in North Korea

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d7enU-Gzu4


Apr 3, 2024 #politics #northkorea #KRT
North Korea successfully test-fired a new mid-to long-range solid-fuel, hypersonic missile, state-run television KRT said on Wednesday (April 3).

KRT released a video of state's leader Kim Jong Un overseeing the launch, and lauding it as a strategic weapon that demonstrates the "absolute superiority" of North Korea's defense technology.

With this, North Korea has "fully turned all tactical, operational, and strategic-grade missiles of different ranges into solid-fuel, with warhead control, and capable of nuclearisation," Kim said, according to state media.
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Scott Kenny said:
second generation designs, prior to the design of B61.
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B40 and B60 look like non-standard designations, I'm not aware of such bomb units, there is the W40 which was a 10KT version of the Python primary used in the MGM-18 Lacross SRBM and CIM-10 BOMARC long-range SAM while the W60 was the proposed warhead for the USN's cancelled Typhoon LR SAM.
 
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NMaude said:
B40 and B60 look like non-standard designations, I'm not aware of such a bomb units, there is the W40 which was a 10KT version of the Python primary used in the MGM-18 Across SRBM and CIM-10 BOMARC long-range SAM while the W60 was the proposed warhead for the USN's cancelled Typhoon LR SAM.
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I wasn't aware of them being used at all. I was meaning a nuke in the same design generation as B43 and up through B57.
 
Scott Kenny said:
I was meaning a nuke in the same design generation as B43 and up through B57.
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Aside from the B43 and B57 the only other ones I can think of are the B27 and B28, Both of which were tested in Operation Redwing with the TX-28 tested four times - shots Erie (14.9KT test of TX-28C Python primary), Seminole (13.7KT test of TX-28S Python primary), Flathead (365KT, 73% fission yield TX-28S) and Dakota (1.1MT test of TX-28C). While the XW-27 was tested in shot Apache (1.85MT, Zither secondary, mostly fission yield) in a modified Regulus I nose-section, it used the same Viper II primary as the B39 (A derivative of the first-generation B15).

The B43 and B57 both used the Tsetse primary.
 
Wikipedia has a list of North Korea ballistic missiles - for what it's worth.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_People's_Army_Strategic_Force
Rather speculative estimates are given in the following table:

MissileTypeRangeQuantityComments
Hwasal-1Cruise missileIn testing.
Hwasal-2Cruise missile1800 km~2000 kmIn testing.
Hwasong-5 (Scud-B)SRBM340 km30+ launchers
Hwasong-6 (Scud-C)SRBM500 km
Hwasong-7
(Nodong mod 1/mod 2)		MRBM900–1,500 km10 launchers (est.)
Hwasong-8
Hwasong-8 mod 1		SRBM1+ launchersIn testing
Hwasong-11A (KN-23)SRBM240~800 km17+ launchersSimilar to 9K720 Iskander or Hyunmoo-2, tested in August 2017.
In 2019, tests of the missile were conducted on 4 and 9 May, July 25 and 6 August. First launched from a railcar 16 September 2021.
Hwasong-11B (KN-24)SRBM410 km9+ launchersSome similarities to MGM-140 ATACMS, but larger, with aft-fins to maintain aerodynamic control over entire flight.
Tested in August 2019 and March 2020
Hwasong-11C
(KN-23 mod 1)		SRBM6+ launchersIn testing.
Hwasong-11S
(KN-23 mod 2)		SRBM"Some" launchersIn testing.
Hwasong-12
Hwasong-12 mod 1		IRBM5000–6000 km10+ launchersIn testing.
Hwasong-14
KN-20		ICBM10,000+ kmSuccessfully tested on 4 July 2017
Hwasong-15
KN-22		ICBM13,000 kmSuccessfully tested on 28 November 2017
Hwasong-16bICBM600-650 kmSuccessfully tested on 2 April 2024.
A solid-fuel ICBM in North Korean missile arsenal.
Hwasong-17
KN-28		ICBM>13,000 kmSuccessfully tested on 24 March 2022
Hwasong-18ICBMSuccessfully tested on 13 April 2023
First solid-fuel ICBM in North Korean missile arsenal
KN-18SRBM450+ kmScud-C variant that carries a Maneuverable reentry vehicle.
Tested May 2017.
KN-21SRBM250+ kmScud-B/Hwasong-5 variant with maneuvering capabilities.
Tested April 2017.
KN-25SRBM/MLRS380 km"Super-large multiple rocket launcher," viewed as an SRBM by U.S. assessment. 30 tracked chassis and another 9 truck chassis are known to have been made for total of 216 guided rockets.
Pukguksong-2 KN-15MRBM1200 kmOperational and deployed to northern border in missile bases where Hwasong-7 is deployed.
Scud-ERMRBM1,000 km"Some" launchersRecently upgraded with new guidance and electronics.

Estimated maximum range of some North Korean missile types in 2013. The missiles with a range exceeding that of the Rodong are not known to be operationally deployed.

​

 
Forest Green said:
Is it efficient to produce that many different types?
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Beat me to it ! I thought the same, at least about their ICBMs. They have a monster, hypergolic missile and immediately thereafter they go solid-fuel. I know, "Titan II and Minuteman " but still.
 
Forest Green said:
Is it efficient to produce that many different types?
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Not in the least, except in terms of figuring out what you do want to make in numbers.

Either it's a bunch of ideas of "Three Fats", or it's a bunch of different groups all competing for development funding.


Archibald said:
Beat me to it ! I thought the same, at least about their ICBMs. They have a monster, hypergolic missile and immediately thereafter they go solid-fuel. I know, "Titan II and Minuteman " but still.
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Solid fuels are a lot easier to store and maintain by conscripts, so that shift makes sense to me.
 

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