| Hwasong-16b | |
| Origin: | North Korea |
| Type: | Intermediate-range ballistic missile |
| Is Missile: | Yes |
| Used By: | Korean People's Army Strategic Force |
| Design Date: | 2023 |
| Length: | 20~21 meters (Estimate) |
| Diameter: | 2.1~2.3m |
| Propellant: | Two-stage Solid-fuel rocket |
| Launch Platform: | 7-axle Transporter erector launcher |
The Hwasong-16b (HS-16b) (Korean: 《화성포-16나》형; Hanja: 火星砲 16b型; lit. Mars Artillery Type 16B) is a North Korean hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM).
A parade on 10 October 2020 unveiled the existence of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) larger than the Hwasong-15. It was unofficially dubbed the "Hwasong-16" as part of the Hwasong line of missiles, though subsequent analysis of footage indicated that it was officially called Hwasong-17.[1]
In November 2023, North Korea announced static ground tests of rocket motors for a solid-fueled IRBM. On 14 January 2024, a flight test was conducted which South Korea said flew 1,000 km; Japan said its analysis showed it traveled at least 500 km at the maximum altitude of 50 km. The missile used the first two stages of the Hwasong-18 ICBM's solid rocket motors. A solid-fuel IRBM would be able to threaten U.S. military bases such as on Guam as far as 3,300 km away from North Korea, while having the same advantages of being easier to move and quicker to launch than the liquid-fueled Hwasong-12 IRBM. North Korean media also claimed the missile was equipped with a hypersonic warhead, which was similar to the conical, finned maneuverable reentry vehicle (MaRV) payload used on the Hypersonic Missile Type 2. Such a payload would complicate ballistic missile defenses due to its lower altitude flight path keeping it below radar coverage longer and the ability to perform terminal maneuvers.[2] [3] [4]
On 19 March 2024, Kim Jong Un oversaw an initial solid-fuel engine test in preparation for another launch.[5] A second test occurred on 2 April 2024, where the missile's name was revealed as the Hwasong-16Na (Hwasong-16b). This launch was made with a hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) payload akin to the one mounted on the Hwasong-8; 38 North speculates that if the HGV payload-equipped version of the missile is designated Hwasong-16b, then the previous MaRV payload-equipped version could be designed the Hwasong-16a. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) claimed the missile traveled 1,000 km and reached a maximum altitude of 101.1 km, and subsequently engaged in a pull-up maneuver reaching an altitude of 72.3 km. South Korean military assessments said it flew 600 km, while Japan's Ministry of Defense estimated a range of 650 km, suggesting the HGV test wasn't successful. It was launched from a seven-axle wheeled transporter erector launcher (TEL), with an open-front canister, which in its stored state, has a two-part clam-shell cover on each side. The missile is cold launched with a gas generator at the end of the launch tube, popping the missile up prior to ignition.[6] The launch coincided with a joint US/Japan/South Korea trilateral flight exercise.[7] [8]
On 26 June 2024, a test was conducted using the first stage of the Hwasong-16 to deploy multiple independently-targeted reentry vehicles (MIRVs). North Korea claimed the test was a success, while South Korea and Japan claim the missile exploded before releasing any warheads.[9]
| Attempt | Date | Location | Pre-launch announcement | Outcome | Additional notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 January 2024 | Around Pyongyang | None | First flight test, South Korea claimed it traveled 1,000 km while Japan claimed it flew 500 km. | ||
| 2 | 2 April 2024 | Outskirts ofPyongyang[10] [11] | Detected at 6:53 am (21:53 GMT) and announced by the Joint Chiefs of Staff.[12] | First test where the missile was named as Hwasong-16b, warhead separated from missile, reaching a peak of 101 km, then a secondary peak at 72.3 km before landing in the Sea of Japan. Maximum speed at Mach 5.Kim Jong-un supervised the launch, with senior officials attending. |
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace researcher Ankit Panda, described the transition to solid-fuel rockets as a heavily favored play by Kim, noting that "There are obvious strategic advantages to an all-solid-fuel force for them in the form of greater promptness, responsiveness, and survivability,"
The launch was condemned by the United Kingdom as a breach of United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida condemned the launch as "damaging for regional and international peace and stability".
South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed a joint investigation ongoing with the U.S., and subsequently on 3 April 2024 it seized a ship off the coast of South Korea in violation of North Korean sanctions.