HWASONG-18 ICBM

• The Hwasong-18 is a solid-fuelled ICBM and was first unveiled at the February 8 parade earlier this year that commemorated the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People’s Army in DPRK’s capital Pyongyang
• Experts say that the use of solid propellants in the Hwasong-18 allows for faster deployment of missiles. Solid propellants can fire faster and accelerate more quickly at liftoff
• According to the US Centennial of Flight Commission, a government database on aerospace and aviation history, the “very first rockets, built by the Chinese at some unknown period in the first millennium, used solid propellants, a variant of black powder used in early guns
• Solids were used for many military applications, such as short-range rockets, but they were not used for any long-range applications, and certainly not for spaceflight due to their comparative lack of power
•  Despite this, solid propellants were extremely attractive for military missile use primarily because they were storable.”

• The Hwasong-18 is the largest ICBM ever developed by North Korea. It is estimated to have a range of up to 15,000 kilometers, which would allow it to reach the continental United States. The missile is also capable of carrying a large payload, which could include multiple nuclear warheads.
• The Hwasong-18 is a significant development for North Korea's missile program. It represents a major technological advance, and it gives North Korea a new and more capable long-range missile.
• The development of the Hwasong-18 has been met with concern by the United States and its allies, who see it as a threat to regional and global security.
• The Hwasong-18 is a complex and sophisticated missile, and it is not yet clear how reliable it is. However, the development of the Hwasong-18 is a significant achievement for North Korea, and it is a reminder of the country's ongoing nuclear and missile programs.