US military confirms North Korean missile can hit anywhere on US mainland
by Russ Read
| July 12, 2019 11:22 AM
The U.S. military has verified that North Korea has a missile capable of striking anywhere on the U.S. mainland.
The Hwaseong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile has an estimated range of 8,000 miles, U.S. Forces Korea certified in its 2019 Strategic Digest, making it "capable of striking any part" of U.S. mainland territory. The digest confirmed the claims of North Korea and the concerns of analysts who had estimated the Hwaseong-15 to be the country's longest range missile to date.
North Korea claimed the missile, first tested on November 29, 2017, had reached an altitude of 2,780 miles, putting it well above the International Space Station. It reportedly flew 590 miles before landing in the sea near Japan's exclusive economic zone.
While North Korea claims the missile is capable of carrying a "super-large heavy warhead," its potential payload remains unknown. How much cargo the missile can carry will determine its effective range. U.S. intelligence has assessed that North Korea has developed technology allowing it to miniaturize a nuclear warhead to fit its ballistic missiles, a key step towards a functional, missile-based nuclear weapon.
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https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense-national-security/us-military-confirms-north-korean-missile-can-hit-anywhere-on-us-mainland
