So, Kim Jong-un and his regime in North Korea have tested an intercontinental ballistic missile in their attempts to create a missile capable of reaching US soil from North Korea. Why don’t they just fly over and drop a bomb, one might ask? Well, because US forces would shoot them out of the sky before they had the chance to drop it. His only option is to create a missile capable of travelling that distance, and apparently he’s succeeded...kind of.
It could only really get to Alaska
According to the North Korean news, as well as estimates by Japanese and South Korean sources, the missile test managed to reach the highest altitude and longest distance of any of North Korea’s other tests of this nature: the altitude was 2,802 km (1,741 miles) and the distance was 933 km (580 miles).
According to the Union of Concerned Scientists’ (yeah, that’s a real organisation) David Wright, based on such a “very highly lofted” trajectory, the missile could travel much further (about 6,700km or 4,160 miles, according to Wright) and reach Alaska. However, it could not reach the islands of Hawaii or the other 48 states, so it’s relatively safe. Plus, some doubt that Kim will be able to compact a nuclear device enough to fit on the missile, anyway, so hoorah!
But in any case, even if Kim did develop the weapon and then wanted to strike the UK, it would face a similar Alaska-like problem and only be able to reach Scotland, so unless they can figure out a way to get than independence referendum up and running, they’re screwed. But we’ll be fine.
