North Korea unveils submarine-launched ballistic missile at military parade

[Eugene]

Source: CNN

North Korea unveils submarine-launched ballistic missile at military parade

Analysis by Joshua Berlinger, CNN
Updated 0457 GMT (1257 HKT) January 15, 2021

(CNN) — North Korea has celebrated the end of a rare political meeting by unveiling what appears to be a missile designed to be fired from a submarine.

Images released by the country's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) showed thousands of people and soldiers at a nighttime military parade in Pyongyang, the capital, including leader Kim Jong Un.

The headliner, however, was the new submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) -- which KCNA declared was the "world's most powerful weapon." Pyongyang also showed off an apparent new short-range ballistic missile which, like its submarine counterpart, likely runs on solid fuel. Solid-fueled missiles can be fired on shorter notice than liquid-fueled counterparts.

The display comes just days after Kim said North Korea was pursuing sophisticated new armaments for the country's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, including a nuclear-powered submarine, tactical nuclear weapons and advanced warheads designed to penetrate missile defense systems.

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Read more: https://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/14/asia/north-korea-military-parade-intl-hnk/index.html


This picture taken on Thursday and released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Friday shows what appears to be submarine-launched ballistic missiles during a military parade.

[Sneederbunk]

1. Now, all they need is a submarine.

[Angleae]

4. They have one. An old ex-soviet Golf-class.

Actually, per wiki they have 10 of the things.

[MyOwnPeace]

2. Oh, that CAN'T be true!!!!

Remember, Donnie and Kim are in love! He would never do such a thing......

[5X]

3. dotard is on the phone trying to arrange a missile now for his military sendoff.

[soryang]

5. Or a facsimile

...of something that has never been tested and for which there is no current operational launch platform.

An article in 38 North referred to it as a "mock up."

North Korea’s Newest Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile, Same as the Old One?
BY: MICHAEL ELLEMAN
JANUARY 15, 2021

https://www.38north.org/2021/01/north-koreas-newest-submarine-launched-ballistic-missile-same-as-the-old-one/

[Rick Rolle]

6. My guess would be propaganda, for internal consumption.

While those certainly look like submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM), they may simply be mock-ups meant to impress the home team. There is an ENORMOUS gap between displaying an SLBM and actually having the capability to successfully fire one from a submarine and hit the intended target.