Hwasong-16B

• Name — Hwasong-16B • Origin — North Korea • Type — Intermediate-range ballistic missile • Is Missile — Yes • Service — 2024–present • Manufacturer — North Korea • Used By — Korean People's Army Strategic Force • Design Date — 2024 • Filling — Hypersonic glide vehicle Nuclear or conventional unitary warhead • Speed — Mach (estimated) Mach (tested) • Length — (estimated) • Diameter — (estimated) • Vehicle Range — (estimated) • Propellant — solid-fueled • Launch Platform — 7-axle transporter erector launcher (TEL)

A military parade on 10 October 2020 unveiled the existence of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), larger than the Hwasong-15 and mounted on 11-axle launchers. It was unofficially dubbed the "Hwasong-16" as part of the Hwasong missile series, though subsequent analysis of footage indicated that it was officially called Hwasong-17. In November 2023, North Korea announced static ground tests of rocket motors for a solid-fueled IRBM. On 14 January 2024, North Korea test-fired a solid-fueled hypersonic IRBM, but the missile used for the test was Hwasong-16A, and it was not counted as an official test of Hwasong-16B. After this test, on 19 March 2024, Kim Jong Un oversaw an initial solid-fuel engine test in preparation for another launch. Hwasong-16B officially made its public debut on 2 April 2024, with a flight test. This launch was made with a HGV payload akin to the one mounted on the Hwasong-8. Another test-fire of Hwasong-16B occurred on 6 January 2025.

• Attempt — Date — Location — Pre-launch announcement — Outcome — Additional notes — References • 1 — 2 April 2024, 6:53 am Pyongyang Standard Time — Outskirts of Pyongyang — None — First test where the missile was named as Hwasong-16B. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) claimed the missile traveled and reached a maximum altitude of, and subsequently engaged in a pull-up maneuver reaching an altitude of. South Korean military assessments said it flew, while Japan's Ministry of Defense estimated a range of, suggesting the HGV test was not successful. Kim Jong Un supervised the launch, with senior officials attending. The launch coincided with a joint US/Japan/South Korea trilateral flight exercise. • 2 — 6 January 2025, around 12:00 pm Pyongyang Standard Time — Outskirts of Pyongyang — None — Japanese and South Korean data showed the missile flew approximately. Japan also stated that the missile's apogee was around. North Korean data showed the missile flew, with a first apogee of and a secondary apogee of. The maximum speed was Mach. However, according to South Korean military, the KCNA's report was most likely exaggerated, as South Korea did not detect a secondary apogee and the detected range was around. The launch was supervised by Kim Jong Un and his daughter.

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace researcher Ankit Panda, described the transition to solid-fuel rockets as a heavily favored play by Kim, noting that "There are obvious strategic advantages to an all-solid-fuel force for them in the form of greater promptness, responsiveness, and survivability," The launch was condemned by the United Kingdom as a breach of United Nations Security Council resolutions. while Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also condemned it as "damaging for regional and international peace and stability". South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed a joint investigation ongoing with the U.S., and subsequently on 3 April 2024 it seized a ship off the coast of South Korea in violation of North Korean sanctions.

Prior to the April 2024 test of Hwasong-16B with hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV), in January 2024, a variant of Hwasong-16B with maneuverable reentry vehicle (MaRV) was tested. The official name of this variant may be Hwasong-16A, but it remains unconfirmed.

The two-stage solid-propellant booster, which was used for the tests of Hwasong-16A and Hwasong-16B, was unofficially called as Hwasong-16. It is based on the Hwasong-18 solid-fueled ICBM. This booster is believed to be an unconfirmed road-moblie, solid-fueled IRBM with possible MIRV-capable. On 26 June 2024, North Korea test-fired a missile using the first stage of Hwasong-16 to test multiple independently-targeted reentry vehicles (MIRVs). The missile that had the first stage to be used in this test was not officially named, instead, North Korean state media depicting it as an "intermediate-range solid-fuel ballistic missile" and claimed the test was a success, with the three warheads being guided to their targets. South Korean military detected the launch around 5:30 a.m. and claimed that North Korea possibly launched a hypersonic missile. According to South Korea and Japan, the missile flew with an apogee of, failed to release any warhead and exploded in midair before falling into Sea of Japan. The nose cone of the MIRV test vehicle resembles that of Hwasong-17.

After the first successful test, on 27 July 2024, the Korea Stamp Corporation unveiled postage stamps featuring Hwasong-16B.