North Korea successfully flight-tested the Hwasong-14 for the first time on July 4, 2017.
The missile was launched from Panghyon Airport and landed in the Sea of Japan inside Japan’s
exclusive economic zone setting alarm bells ringing around the world.
The Minuteman family of missiles has served as the backbone of the U.S. land-based nuclear
strategic force since 1962.
The Minuteman III began development in 1964 and entered service in 1970.
In this video, Defense Updates compares the NORTH KOREAN HWASONG-14 WITH THE UNITED STATES
MINUTEMAN III on 5 important parameters and draws an unbiased conclusion.
Lets get started.
Like the Hwasong-12, the Hwasong-14 is transported on a transporter-erector vehicle (TEL), but
launched from a detachable platform on a concrete pad.
This has several operational ramifications.
It will increase the time required to launch the Hwasong-14, and limit the number of launch
locations to pre-sited and pre-constructed launch pads.
Minuteman III is designed to be launched from missile silos.
A missile silo is a vertical cylindrical structure constructed underground, for the storage and
launching of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).
The structures typically have the missile some distance below ground, protected by a
large "blast door" on top.
They are usually connected, physically and/or electronically, to a missile launch control
center.
Both the missiles are depended on pre assigned sites for launch and hence are vulnerable
against preemptive strikes.
In current situation, the Minuteman III has advantage since the missile silos are very
well build and should be able to protect the missiles from to a decent extent.
Since, Hwasong-14 launch platform are not concealed, even a modest strike could disable
its launch.
Hwasong-14 is newly developed and is still an experimental one.
Debate continues over if Hwasong-14’s reentry vehicle, which will carry the warhead, is
capable of surviving the stresses associated with ICBM flight and reentry.
The missile still needs further design optimizations and testing before it is deployed.
Minuteman-III missiles are regularly tested with launches from Vandenberg Air Force Base
in order to validate the effectiveness, readiness, and accuracy of the weapon system, as well
as to support the system's primary purpose, nuclear deterrence.
It has nearly 100 percent reliability.
Minuteman-III missiles have also been improved over the decades, with more than $7 billion
spent in the last decade to upgrade the 450 missiles.
For example, the original inertial navigation system provided it with an accuracy of about
200 m Circular Error Probable (CEP), but an updated inertial guidance system gives it
120 m CEP.
Minuteman-III is a more complete and far better tested system, giving it a major advantage
in this category.
The Hwasong-14 is a two-staged liquid fueled version of the single-stage Hwasong-12 intermediate-range
ballistic missile (IRBM), which North Korea first tested in May 2017 to a range of around
4,500 kilometers.
The missile’s first stage engine appears similar, if not identical, to the Hwasong-12.
The second stage is designed to increase its range.
Minuteman III is three-stage solid-fuel rocket engines.
The first stage is Thiokol TU-122, second stage is Aerojet-General SR-19-AJ-1and third
stage: Aerojet/Thiokol SR73-AJ/TC-1.
Solid-fuel missile can stand ready for extended periods of time with little maintenance, and
then launch on command.
In comparison, missile designs using liquid rocket propellant required a lengthy fueling
process immediately before launch, which leave them open to the possibility of surprise attack.
Minuteman III has an upper hand hand due to the better readiness of the system.
A multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV) is a ballistic missile payload
containing several warheads, each capable of being aimed to hit a different target.
MIRV allows separately targeted nuclear warheads to be sent on their independent ways after
the main propulsion stages of the missile launch have shut down.
This technology is very complex and greatly increases the destructive power of a missile.
Hwasong-14 is not enabled with MIRV and hence one missile can deliver only one nuke.
Minuteman III was the first true MIRV capable missile.
It can carry a maximum of 3 warheads.
Clearly Minuteman III has a distinct advantage in this category.
The most important parameter of a missile the range.
On July 4, the Hwasong-14 flew on a lofted trajectory to a range of around 930 km, and
an altitude of 2,803 kilometers.
Based on this performance, it was initially estimated that the Hwasong-14 could potentially
reach up to 8,000 kilometers if fired in an easterly direction.
It has been reported that the U.S. government has assessed that the missile’s range to
be between 7,000-9,500 km.
Hwasong-14’s performance during its July 28 test, however, well exceeded that, flying
for around 47 minutes, to a range of 1,000 km and an altitude of 3,700 km.
According to one report, the missile’s increased flight time, range, and altitude is due to
differing burn times of the missile’s two stages and structural modifications.
In the July 4 test, the Hwasong-14’s first stage burned for 145 seconds and second stage
for 233 seconds.
On July 28, by contrast, the missile’s first stage burned for 151 (+6) seconds and second
stage for 224 (-9) seconds.
The latter Hwasong-14 was also structurally different from that of the previous launch,
with yaw maneuvering motors added on to the missile’s second stage.
Based on its July 28 performance, the Hwasong-14 is expected to have a range of over 10,000
km if flown on a range-maximizing ballistic trajectory.
Minuteman series of missile gained range with incremental version with Minuteman III acknowledged
to have an operational range of 13,000 km (8,100 miles) though the exact range is classified.
As per many analysts the missile actually can travel as far as 16,000 km depending up
the warhead configuration.
Keeping in view the better range, Minuteman III has an advantage in this category.
As evident from the overall score Minuteman III is a more capable missile compared to
Hwasong-14.
Hwasong-14 has demonstrated the increasing capabilities of North Korea in the field of
long-range missiles and the pace of development has caught the world by surprise.
With Hwasong-14, North Korea has cleared a major threshold and has become one of only
few countries to posses an ICBM.
Minuteman III is the only land-based ICBM in service in the United States and has been
kept relevant even decade after of its initial deployment with technology upgrades.
Minuteman III will remain one of the most powerful deterrence for any adversary.