Kim Jong Un inspects North Korea's powerful missile arsenal
Kim Jong Un inspected the North Korean intercontinental missiles Hwasong-17 and Hwasong-18, reports the Clash Report profile on platform X. Photos from the politician's visit to a warehouse full of weapons capable of striking virtually any place on Earth have surfaced online.
North Korea is increasingly focused on expanding its arsenal. As recently as April 2024, North Korea's state news agency reported a completed test of a new type of missile, the Hwasongpho-16B.
The following month, Kim Jong Un oversaw tests of a new rocket launcher. Now, materials have surfaced online showing the inspection of a warehouse with powerful North Korean missiles.
Weapons that can reach any place on Earth
The warehouse visited by the North Korean leader holds some of the country's most powerful missiles: the Hwasong-18 (HS-18) and Hwasong-17 (HS-17).
Both are intercontinental weapons capable of reaching anywhere in the world. The Clash Report profile on platform X also notes that the "number of vehicles with launchers" in the warehouse is striking.
Both missile models inspected by Kim Jong Un are relatively new designs produced by North Korea. Hwasong-18 was first showcased at a parade in 2023, with the first three trials taking place the same year. However, little is still known about its specifications. According to available information, Hwasong-18 measures nearly 27 meters in length, with the first stage (the lower part of the missile) having a diameter of 2 meters. In comparison, the second and third stages are 1.8 meters in diameter.
The total launch mass of the HS-18 missile is estimated at 55-60 metric tonnes (approximately 121,000-132,000 pounds), and its payload capacity is about 1,200 kilograms. This massive structure has a reach of 15,000 kilometres, giving it an intercontinental range. Hwasong-18 can carry a nuclear warhead.
The twin model to HS-18, Hwasong-17, is another North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile with a slightly longer history. It was unveiled four years ago in 2020. At the same time, HS-17 was an advancement over its predecessor (HS-15), which had a range covering an incomplete area of the United States.
Hwasong-17 measures about 2.4 meters in diameter, and unlike the HS-18, which is powered by solid fuel, it is powered by liquid fuel. This is another powerful weapon that can reach heights of over 6,000 kilometres and carry a payload (nuclear or MIRV) within a range of about 15,000 kilometres.
