North Korea Nuke Capability

[colay1]

How would NK be able to confirm that it has an ICBM nuke warhead that can successfully survive athmospheric reentry? Would it actually have to launch a nuke-armed ICBM out into the Pacific to demonstrate a credible capability? Or do they launch a dummy warhead and retrieve it for analysis?

Or will defense experts just proceed on the assumption that they do possess an effective capability?

 

[Waylander]

Did anybody ever fired a live nuke tipped ICBM at a test target?

When one demonstrates some successfull ICBM tests with dummy warheads and adds sone successfull nuke tests one has to believe in them having the capability.

I doubt anybody would be willing to risk LA (or Beijing for what it's worth) for not taking it seriously.

 

[John Fedup]

Only an actual detonation could provide 100% confirmation. Spies could provide something very close to 100% but sufficient penetration into NK's nuclear and ICBM programs has to be near impossible given the nature of the the NK regime.

 

[colay1]

Would he same logic apply to he DF-21D AShBM? AFAIK China has never attempted hitting a maneuvering target at sea.

 

[John Fedup]

I guess so unless they test a DF-21D on an actual large ship at the claimed range. There is, of course, a big difference between a very long range anti ship missile and an ICBM capable of delivering a nuke to a major city any where in the world.

 

[colay1]

It appears that NK may actually be considering firing a missile with a nuke warhead into the Pacific. Time to set the Doomsday Clock closer to midnight.

 

[John Fedup]

If they do, China will allow the US a free hand to do anything they want short of Korean reunification, not that there will be of anything to reunify with. Don't think Kim is that stupid but who knows?

 

[colay1]

A NOKOR Starfish Prime test of an EMP weapon?

 

[John Fedup]

This seems like the perfect Xmas present for Kim. The cold war promotional video is quite entertaining. A nuclear ramjet cruise missile that can reach any point on the planet, wants not to like.:dance

http://www.popularmechanics.com/mil...19/slam-cruise-missile-nuclear-thermonuclear/

 

[t68]

This seems like the perfect Xmas present for Kim. The cold war promotional video is quite entertaining. A nuclear ramjet cruise missile that can reach any point on the planet, wants not to like.:dance

SLAM Was the Armageddon Cruise Missile From Hell

Only one little problem with that, uncle Kim allready dosent give a rats arse about the current population he would see it as the US doing its dirt work for him

 

[Npac]

Based on the looks of the Hwasong 15, and the pace of its development, they're getting a lot of help from somewhere. If so, they could just adopt whatever re entry designs they obtain. Besides, for a country like NK, an end to end test of their capability isn't necessary, and may be counterproductive if it fails. Having launched an icbm with that potential range, and having demonstrated a working nuke, is sufficient for us to assume that they either have the end to end capability or could obtain it fairly soon. That might be why they said their program is now complete.

 

[barney41]

I'd expect NK to continue improving it's ICBM tech to accommodate decoys making it a much more credible threat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNSR7dXHdCY

 

[steve621]

Their is speculation that the last missile test had a " Dummy Warhead " on top of the ICBM i dont know how they would retrieve or analyse this information. However their is no doubt that their ICBM program has advanced Years in just a few short months. I believe we should act as if they already have the technology. If they do not already it isn't far off.