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North Korean state media claims that it can hit anywhere in the world with its new missile. Others say that it is capable of reaching Alaska:
North Korea said on Tuesday it successfully test-launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) for the first time, which flew a trajectory that experts said could allow a weapon to hit the U.S. state of Alaska. The launch came days before leaders from the Group of 20 nations were due to discuss steps to rein in North Korea's weapons program, which it has pursued in defiance of U.N. Security Council sanctions.
The launch, which North Korea's state media said was ordered and supervised by leader Kim Jong Un, sent the rocket 933 km (580 miles) reaching an altitude of 2,802 km over a flight time of 39 minutes.
North Korea has said it wants to develop a missile mounted with a nuclear warhead capable of striking the U.S. mainland. To do that it would need an ICBM with a range of 8,000 km (4,800 miles) or more, a warhead small enough to be mounted on it and technology to ensure its stable re-entry into the atmosphere. Some analysts said the flight details on Tuesday suggested the new missile had a range of more than 8,000 km, underscoring major advances in its program. Other analysts said they believed its range was not so far.
(Score: 1) by arcz on Wednesday July 05 2017, @01:57AM (6 children)
Nuclear cannon:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=c0MytMHwzAM [youtube.com]
Tell me North Korea certainly has not developed this technology? It's much simpler than an ICBM. North Korea only needs a few nuclear cannons to kill millions of South Koreans.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Wednesday July 05 2017, @02:17AM (3 children)
One thing to note is that many of their tests are estimated to have had sub-10 kiloton yields. Miniaturizing the weapons might make the yields even worse. Although if they can fire 20-30 of them into the Seoul Capital Area, maybe it won't matter.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by fnj on Wednesday July 05 2017, @09:09AM (2 children)
Did you ever hear of a place called Hiroshima? Nagasaki? In each case, a single explosion of around 15 kilotons killed around 100,000 people. Per inverse square scaling, a couple of kilotons could easily kill tens of thousands. Twenty to thirty of those? Are you kidding? In a city like Seoul tat could easily take out millions.
Get real. Christ, people have no idea what real war is any more. It's not like playing pattycake with a few terrorists.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Wednesday July 05 2017, @01:43PM (1 child)
You get real. The yields on NK's weaponizable nukes could easily be less than 2 kilotons each. There are less wooden buildings in Seoul. 20-30 nukes is the high estimate. And I never said millions wouldn't die.
Maybe the Cold War has addled your brain.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by fnj on Wednesday July 05 2017, @10:45PM
Or they could just as easily be considerably more than 20 kilotons. What's the point of completely unsupported wild-assed guesswork? You plan based on what you know is possible.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 05 2017, @05:47AM
Suppose they have. How many nuclear shells do you suppose they have? if you take out 90% or more of their artillery emplacement, how many do you expect will be on hand at the remaining emplacements?
(Score: 3, Insightful) by fnj on Wednesday July 05 2017, @09:19AM
Nuclear cannons are simple in concept but pretty sophisticated in actual execution. First, your warhead needs to be miniaturized far smaller than it does for a missile. More importantly, you have to arrange for it to survive the terrific concussion of being fired, and still be intact enough to operate perfectly on hitting the target. It's challenge enough to guarantee a real non-dud nuclear explosion every time in an ordinary free-fall bomb not subject to any rough handling at all.
You know what IS simple in concept AND in execution? A nuclear explosive device (not even a polished packaged bomb) in a delivered shipping container. Or a nuclear explosive device in a fishing boat visiting a harbor.