Army Recognition asserts that North Korea conducted a test launch of the Hwasong-18 missile on April 13, 2023. The results of the test were deemed to be positive. The Hwasong-18 is an intercontinental ballistic missile of the next generation that was created by North Korea and unveiled by the country at a military parade in February 2023.
Since 2019, when a high-profile summit between Kim and then-President of the United States, Donald Trump, failed to materialise, denuclearisation talks have been at a standstill.
The new Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile is a three-stage design that uses solid fuel and is launched by a TEL (Transporter Erector Launcher). The missile has been engineered to withstand its weight and bulk, allowing it to be transported on a 9-wheeled truck through various terrains.
The missile is powered by solid fuel. ICBMs are typically designed to transport nuclear or conventional warheads over distances ranging from 5,500 to 12,000. They are launched from silos, mobile launchers, or submarines and travel in a suborbital trajectory, allowing them to reach their targets fast and precisely.
Solid-fuel ICBMs may be launched more quickly than liquid-fuelled missiles since they do not require a protracted fuelling interval. This enables a quicker reaction. Because there is no requirement for refuelling facilities, solid-fuel ICBMs can be transported and deployed more readily on mobile launchers. As a result, they are difficult to identify and target.
