North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversaw a ground test of a high-thrust solid-fuel missile engine made with composite carbon fiber material, KCNA reported. The engine achieved a maximum thrust of 2,500 kilonewtons as part of the country's five-year national defense development plan.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversaw a ground test of a newly upgraded high-thrust solid-fuel missile engine made with composite carbon fiber material, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on March 29 without disclosing the date or location.
The engine achieved a maximum thrust of 2,500 kilonewtons, up from 1,971 kN in the previous test in September last year. It is assessed to be developed for use in the Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile under development. Kim said North Korea's defense capabilities had "entered a significant phase of change in the building of the strategic forces," adding that the test holds "great significance" and "fully conforms with the national strategy and the military demand for modernizing the strategic forces."
He stated that "the country's defense capabilities would be further transformed and accelerated by the development and introduction of better components with superior economic and technical effectiveness as proven in the test." Kim presented "major tasks for further stepping up the development of the state strategic forces both in quality and quantity."
Kim also inspected a separate test by the Armored Weapons Institute of the Academy of Defence Sciences assessing new main battle tanks. The test confirmed a 100 percent success rate for the protection system against anti-tank means from different directions. "Today's test proved that the functionality of our new-type main battle tank's interceptor system is fully equipped with a thorough capability for destroying almost all existing anti-tank means," Kim said.
Additionally, he visited a special operations training base under the Operations Bureau of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army and inspected training by special operations sub-units at all levels.
The test is part of a five-year national defense development plan aimed at steadily upgrading strategic strike means, according to KCNA.
