North Korean missile could wipe out largest naval base in US

North Korea's newly successful test-launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) could be used to wipe out one of the largest US naval bases if fully developed, a leading missile expert has said.

North Korean missile technology analyst John Schilling said the Hwasong-14 missile could fly 9,700km and carry a 500kg nuclear warhead if North Korea continues to develop the technology and overcome all the problems that occurred during the test launch.

North Korea's Hwasong-14 missile was test-fired on July 4. Photo: Rodong Sinmun

In addition, the missile has a hollow conical cover, which can carry multiple warheads or a single nuclear warhead with several "decoy" balloons to deceive US missile defense systems.

"North Korea won't be able to achieve this tomorrow, but it seems likely they will," John Schilling, a North 38 expert, told the website. However, he believes it will take Pyongyang at least 15 years to perfect the technology.

He also called on the US to use this time to improve and develop their missile defense system.

"The current US missile defense system is limited and unreliable, only working half the time during test launches. But North Korea will have to consider that developing an ICBM will push the US to improve its defense system. They cannot hope to produce more ICBMs than the number of missile interceptors the US can build," said John Schilling./.

According to Vietnamnet.vn