The ''Pukguksong-6'' () is presumed to be the official designation for a

North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu River, Yalu (Amnok) an ...

n solid-fueled

submarine-launched ballistic missile A submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) is a ballistic missile capable of being launched from Ballistic missile submarine, submarines. Modern variants usually deliver multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs), each of which ...

(SLBM) first unveiled in 2022.

Description

The ''Pukguksong-6'' is a solid-propelled missile probably derived from

Pukguksong-5 The Pukguksong-5 () is a North Korean two-stage, solid-fueled submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM). First unveiled in January 2021 during a military parade, Pukguksong-5 is an evolution of Pukguksong-3 with a longer range and a larger siz ...

. It is longer than

Pukguksong-4 The Pukguksong-4 () is a North Korean two-stage, solid-fueled submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM). Description Pukguksong-4 is a two-stage, solid-fueled ballistic missile. As a further development from Pukguksong-3, it is significantly ...

and Pukguksong-5. The missile's estimated length and diameter is and respectively. The missile likely uses three-stage design. However, German analyst Norbert Brügge claimed the missile to be a two-stage silo-based missile with a longer first stage compared to Pukguksong-5. As an improved version of Pukguksong-5, ''Pukguksong-6'' may have a much longer range and capability of carrying multiple warheads, and is believed to be able to carry three to four

reentry vehicle Atmospheric entry (sometimes listed as Vimpact or Ventry) is the movement of an object from outer space into and through the gases of an atmosphere of a planet, dwarf planet, or natural satellite. Atmospheric entry may be ''uncontrolled entr ...

s. The missile is also said to be theoretically capable of hitting the

continental United States The contiguous United States, also known as the U.S. mainland, officially referred to as the conterminous United States, consists of the 48 adjoining U.S. states and the District of Columbia of the United States in central North America. The te ...

, with estimated ranges ranging from to . The missile is also claimed to be the largest SLBM produced by North Korea, as well as the North Korea's largest solid-fueled ballistic missile as of September 2022. The ''Pukguksong-6'' may be intended to be launched from a 3,000-ton submarine under construction as of 2022, as well as a nuclear-powered submarine under construction as of 2025.

History

At the

8th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea The 8th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea was held at the April 25 House of Culture in Pyongyang from 5 to 12 January 2021. A total of 7,000 people participated in the congress including 5,000 delegates. The Party Congress took place in the ...

held in January 2021, North Korean leader

Kim Jong Un Kim Jong Un (born 8 January 1983 or 1984) is a North Korean politician and dictator who has served as supreme leader of North Korea since 2011 and general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) since 2012. He is the third son of Kim ...

confirmed that an intercontinental-range SLBM was in development. North Korea first displayed ''Pukguksong-6'' on 25 April 2022 during a military parade. Four missiles were placed on 6-axle trucks. North Korea did not reveal the official designation, and the ''Pukguksong-6'' designation remains unconfirmed. A small-scale model of the missile appeared at a banquet attended by Kim Jong Un on 27 August 2023. There has been no known test for ''Pukguksong-6.''

References

{{DPRK missiles Submarine-launched ballistic missiles of North Korea Ballistic missiles of North Korea Submarine-launched ballistic missiles

Description

History

See also

References