In the early hours, North Korea surprised the region with the launch of its most advanced intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the Hwasong-19. This missile traveled approximately 1,000 kilometers, reaching an altitude close to 7,700 kilometers, and landed in the East Sea after a flight of 5,156 seconds.
In this context, the Hwasong-19 represents the latest advancement in a missile program that also included the recent development of the Hwasong-16B, a hypersonic ballistic missile. The latter, launched months earlier, demonstrated advanced capabilities, including a hypersonic vehicle and the use of solid fuel, technology also present in the Hwasong-19, which enhances its speed, precision, and maneuverability.
State media images showed that the Hwasong-19, launched from an 11-axle mobile platform approximately 30 meters in length, has a design capable of housing multiple warheads, increasing its offensive capacity. Additionally, its nose cone design, rounder compared to the Hwasong-18, has sparked speculation about potential improvements in the missile’s performance and versatility.
With greater range and payload capacity than the Hwasong-18, the Hwasong-19 marks a milestone in North Korea’s deterrence capability. In South Korea, experts believe this initial launch could be the first in a series of tests aimed at consolidating its performance.
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