North Korea on Tuesday morning launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM), known as the Hwasongpho-16B, and stated that it was a new type of “solid-fuelled ballistic missile loaded with newly developed hypersonic gliding warhead,” according to a state media report on Wednesday. Tuesday’s launch was North Korea’s third ballistic-missile firing this year, with earlier launches in January and March. The test firing of the Hwasongpho-16B was carried out at an army training field on the outskirts of the North Korean capital of Pyongyang and overseen by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, reported state media Korean Central News Agency , and was aimed at confirming the technical specifications of the missile and its reliability.
After the missile was launched, the hypersonic warhead separated from the missile and reached its first peak at a height of 101.1 km and the second at 72.3 km, while traveling 1,000 km before hitting its target in the East Sea (Sea of Japan). “The test-fire had no adverse effect on the security of neighboring countries,” reported KCNA.
Kim was satisfied with the firing and said the weapon was developed to demonstrate the advantage of North Korea’s defense science and technology. He also claimed that North Korea had successfully implemented the Party Central Committee’s three principles of building a missile-armed force for rapidly, accurately and powerfully striking any enemy target worldwide, according to KCNA.
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