The United States has confirmed that North Korea test-launched its first intercontinental ballistic missile. The weapons are possessed by only a handful of countries, including the U.S., Russia and China.
ICBMs are missiles that can travel thousands of miles from one continent to another. Many analysts define an ICBM as having a range in excess of 5,500 kilometers, or 3,420 miles.
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The Hwasong-14 missile that North Korea launched July 4, 2017, was fired at a highly lofted angle to avoid neighboring countries. It flew as high as 2,802 kilometers before splashing down in the ocean about 933 kilometers from the launch site, North Korea said.
If fired at a normal trajectory, one U.S. scientist said the missile could have a possible maximum range of 6,700 kilometers, which could put Alaska in its range. Many South Korean experts estimate the missile's maximum range at 8,000 kilometers, putting Hawaii in its striking distance. To cover anywhere in the United States, North Korea would need a longer range.
Despite the July 4 test flight, many experts believe North Korea doesn't yet have a functioning ICBM because it still needs to develop the technology to manufacture miniaturized nuclear warheads to mount on the missiles. It's also unclear whether North Korea has developed a successful re-entry vehicle, something that's needed to return a warhead to the atmosphere from space so it can hit its intended target.
