NKOREA LAUNCHES ICBM FLIGHT RECORD: 50 MINS SKOREA FIRES BACK

[RetBobbyMI]

That’s assuming the norks are actually trying to hit the US mainland. If you look at the heading of all the launches to date, they have mostly avoided flying over Russian territory. In General, the trajectory was towards Hawaii or towards the pacific west of the US west coast. A thermonuclear explosion in the atmosphere off the west coast would create havoc in itself, not to mention the residual radiation in the west to east air flow across the country.

[edpc]

That’s assuming the norks are actually trying to hit the US mainland. If you look at the heading of all the launches to date, they have mostly avoided flying over Russian territory. In General, the trajectory was towards Hawaii or towards the pacific west of the US west coast. A thermonuclear explosion in the atmosphere off the west coast would create havoc in itself, not to mention the residual radiation in the west to east air flow across the country.

Unless you're using a very short range missile, they don't fly in straight lines.  Every ounce of payload equals range.  You need to maximize the trajectory to achieve your goal.

[thackney]

Except they don't fly that way.  They take routes over the pole, which is why our ABMs are in AK.  If they ever launch on us, Russia will not be happy, either.

Look at my image again, it is cutting across Alaska for a route to the western side of the US, just as your image shows to reach Denver.  If it went over true North Pole, it would be too far East to hit even Maine.