North Korea fires hypersonic missile

North Korea has launched a hypersonic missile – flying at over Mach 3 – that successfully hit its target 700km away, according to reports


HYPERSONIC BOOST-GLIDE FLIGHT

Hwasong-12 
Ground-launched booster rocket

Manoeuvrable Reentry Vehicle (MaRV)  

Propulsion system

Aerodynamic control surfaces

Glide: Adjust lateral speed and direction for 120km before hitting target

Thrust-generated velocity changes over short distances

Boost: To upper atmosphere

Glide-jump

700km

Velocity: Mach 3-10

120km


Hypersonic gliding warhead

Liquid propellant rocket engine

Low altitude flight to avoid radar detection and continual manoeuvring to evade anti-missile defences

ATMOSPHERE
Launch site
ICBM* flight
Radar detection point
Radar limit
Radar detection point
Target


Hwasong-8
Hypersonic glide vehicle tested Sep 2021

“Shark mouth” integrated air- breathing engine

May be capable of thrust-generated velocity changes over longer distances


* Intercontinental ballistic missile


Sources: The Drive, BBC
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