Hwasong-14

The Hwasong-14 (Chosŏn'gŭl: 화성 14; hancha: 火星 14, meaning Mars-14), also known under alternative US designation KN-20,^[5] is a mobile intercontinental ballistic missile developed by North Korea. It had its maiden flight on 4 July 2017, which coincided with the United States' Independence Day.^[11] North Korea is the only known operator of this missile.

Design

The Hwasong-14 is likely a two-staged version of the Hwasong-12 first tested in May 2017.^[12] The second stage appears to have increased its range.^[12] The first stage engine appears very similar to the Hwasong-12. With a single liquid fuel engine, it has four Vernier thrusters for stability and guidance.^[12] The trajectory of the first KN-20 test indicates that its upper stage was propelled by a set of vernier engines from an old Soviet submarine-launched ballistic missile (R-27 Zyb) whose technology was acquired by Pyongyang from Russia in the 1990s.^[13][14] Less is known about the Hwasong-14's second stage.^[12]

Chinese Transporter Erector

Like the Hwasong-12, the Hwasong-14 appears to be transported on an off-road capable Wanshan Special Vehicle WS51200 8 axle transporter erector vehicle. This capability is particularly well-suited for North Korea, which has only around 700 km of paved road throughout the country.^[15] The vehicle uses a US-designed Cummins KTTA19 C700 diesel engine.^[16] The vehicle was imported from China and declared for civilian use by the North Korean foreign ministry.^[17][18] Mike Turner, chairman of the House Armed Services subcommittee on strategic forces stated that "the prospect of Chinese support for this program, which ‘would require approval from the highest levels of China’s government and from the People’s Liberation Army,’ means that China is enabling North Korea to deploy ICBMs that could be tipped with nuclear warheads aimed at the United States. Such cooperation therefore poses a direct threat to the security of the American people."^[16] Although it is hard to believe that the Chinese were not aware that North Korea would use the vehicle chassis for its illicit missile program, available evidence suggests that Pyongyang did indeed add the erectors at facilities known to assemble missile TELs.^[19]

But the missile is launched from a detachable platform on a concrete pad. This could have several operational ramifications. It may increase the time required to launch the Hwasong-12, and limit the number of launch locations to pre-sited and pre-constructed launch pads.^[20]

List of Hwasong-14 tests

First test flight

Very high angle^[7] lofted trajectories of Hwasong-14

The first publicly announced flight test was on the 4th July 2017,^{[lower-roman 1]} to coincide with the US Independence Day celebrations. This flight had a claimed range of 933 kilometres (580 mi) eastwards into the Sea of Japan and reached an altitude of 2,802 kilometres (9,193,000 ft) during a 39 minute flight.^[25]

This range was deliberately shortened, to avoid encroaching on other nations' territory, by 'lofting' the missile: firing it on a trajectory that was inefficiently high, rather than optimised for range. This allows the missile's performance to be tested and demonstrated, without requiring a huge test range.^[25]

A prediction for the possible range, following an optimum trajectory, has been given at 6,700 kilometres (4,200 mi)^[26] or as much as 10,400 kilometres (6,500 mi) not taking into account the Earth’s rotation. If true, then this brings the U.S. states of Alaska and Hawaii within the missile's range.^[25]

Second test flight

Preparations for a second test flight were detected by US intelligence as early as 20 July.^[24] On 28 July, the missile was fired at 11:41 p.m local time, the first time which a night time launch was carried out. ^[27][28] The missile was fired at a lofted trajectory with apogee of 3,700 km (2,300 mi), landing 998 km (620 mi) away with a total flight time of approximately 47 minutes. Based on the data from the test flight, if the missile were fired at the optimal efficient trajectory, it is predicted that the maximum effective range would exceed 10,000 km (6,200 mi). If factoring in the rotation of the Earth, which may provide a range boost when travelling eastward, the Hwasong-14’s coverage area would include the US West Coast, Chicago, and possibly even New York,^[20] but only with a substantially reduced payload.^[13]

Gallery

• 
  Kim Jong-un's order for the first test flight
• 
  Kim's order for the second test

See also

• R-27 Zyb
• Pukkuksong-1
• JL-1
• KN-08
• Hwasong-10
• Hwasong-12

References

Missiles of North Korea
Short-range	KN-2 OTR-21 Tochka Persian Gulf (missile) Fateh-110 Luna-M Luna Hwasong-5 Hwasong-6
Medium-range	Rodong-1 Hwasong-10 Pukguksong-2
Intermediate-range	Hwasong-10 Hwasong-12 KN-08 Taepodong-1
ICBM	KN-08 Hwasong-14 Taepodong-2
SLBM	Pukkuksong-1
Cruise missiles	KN-19 Kumsong-3\4 KN-09 (Local variant of Kh-35) C-602 C-802 P-35 P-15 KN-1 Silkworm KN-1
Anti-ship missiles	KN-19 Kumsong-3\4 KN-09 (Local variant of Kh-35) C-602 C-802 Kh-28 P-35 P-15 KN-1 Silkworm KN-1
Surface-to-air missiles	KN-06 S-200 S-25 Berkut S-75 Dvina S-125 Neva/Pechora Buk Kub Krug
Air to air missiles	R/K-13 R-23/24 R-60 R-73/74 R-27 R-4 R-40 R/K-8 K-9 R-38
Anti-tank guided missiles	AT-1 AT-2 AT-3 Susong-Po AT-4 Bulsae-2 AT-5 Bulsae-3 AT-6 AT-7
Air to ground missiles	Kh-23 AS-8 Kh-28 Kh-25 Kh-29 KN-09 (Local variant of Kh-35)
Anti-ship ballistic missiles	Persian Gulf (missile) Fateh-110
Artillery rockets and MRLs	KN-09 M-1991 M1985 BM-24 BMD-20 BM-11 M-1985 Type 63
Missile tests	1993 2006 2009 2013 2014 2017