US General: North Korea Missing 'Last Two Pieces' of Technology for Effective ICBMs
According to Gen. Paul Selva, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Pyongyang is missing the “last two pieces” of technology needed to make its intercontinental ballistic missiles complete: a reliable targeting system and a survivable re-entry vehicle
Ami Rojkes Dombe
| 12/08/2018
photo by Jim Garamone - https://www.defense.gov/News/Article/Article/1599307/selva-highlights-need-for-nuclear-enterprise-recapitalization/
US defense officials claim that the pause in North Korea’s missile testing stems from the fact that the country hasn’t been able to complete the “last two pieces” of technology needed to make its intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) reliable.
To complete its ICBM program, Pyongyang needs to develop and test a reliable targeting system and a survivable re-entry vehicle.
“Our assessment is he has not closed those last two pieces of the kill chain,” Gen. Paul Selva, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told the Air Force Association, referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
“We have not seen a demonstration of a reliable R.V.,” said Gen. Selva, referring to the re-entry vehicle. “And we have not seen a demonstration of a reliable arming, targeting and fusing system that would allow the system to survive and actually detonate when he wants it to detonate.”
North Korea also hasn’t conducted a missile test flight since November. “It has had an impact,” Gen. Selva said of the moratorium. “But we don’t know what impact it’s had on his logic,” he added, referring to Kim.
“We have to assume he might shoot one,” Gen. Selva said. “We would have to be prepared to defend. But we might actually make the choice not to shoot because we assert based on what we know about the system and its trajectory that it’s not going to hit anything.”
According to Gen. Paul Selva, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Pyongyang is missing the “last two pieces” of technology needed to make its intercontinental ballistic missiles complete: a reliable targeting system and a survivable re-entry vehicle
photo by Jim Garamone - https://www.defense.gov/News/Article/Article/1599307/selva-highlights-need-for-nuclear-enterprise-recapitalization/
US defense officials claim that the pause in North Korea’s missile testing stems from the fact that the country hasn’t been able to complete the “last two pieces” of technology needed to make its intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) reliable.
To complete its ICBM program, Pyongyang needs to develop and test a reliable targeting system and a survivable re-entry vehicle.
“Our assessment is he has not closed those last two pieces of the kill chain,” Gen. Paul Selva, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told the Air Force Association, referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
“We have not seen a demonstration of a reliable R.V.,” said Gen. Selva, referring to the re-entry vehicle. “And we have not seen a demonstration of a reliable arming, targeting and fusing system that would allow the system to survive and actually detonate when he wants it to detonate.”
North Korea also hasn’t conducted a missile test flight since November. “It has had an impact,” Gen. Selva said of the moratorium. “But we don’t know what impact it’s had on his logic,” he added, referring to Kim.
“We have to assume he might shoot one,” Gen. Selva said. “We would have to be prepared to defend. But we might actually make the choice not to shoot because we assert based on what we know about the system and its trajectory that it’s not going to hit anything.”
