What is solid-fuel technology that powered North Korea’s ‘most powerful missle’ yet?

North Korea said its latest weapons test was of a “solid-fuel” intercontinental ballistic missile. Also known as ICBM, it is the first known use of the propellant in a longer-range projectile, as it seeks the capability to launch with little preparation. According to the state agency, President Kim Jong Un said it marked a major step in Pyongyang’s capacity to conduct a nuclear counterstrike. News agency Korean Central News Agency reported the new “Hwasung-18” ICBM “was test fired on Thursday as the key means of strategic military force.” The North Korean leader said the ICBM’s development “will greatly reorganise our strategic deterrence and reinforce effectiveness of our nuclear counterattack.” Here are some characteristics of  solid-fuel  technology, and how it can help the North improve its missile systems. What is solid-fuel technology? Solid  propellants are a mixture of  fuel  and oxidiser. Metallic powders such as aluminium often serve as the  fuel, and ammonium perchlorate, which is the salt of perchloric acid and ammonia, is the most common oxidiser. The  fuel  and oxidiser are bound together by a hard rubbery material and packed into a metal casing. When  solid  propellant burns, oxygen from the ammonium perchlorate combines with aluminium to generate enormous amounts of energy and temperatures of more than 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit (2,760 degrees Celsius), creating thrust and lifting the missile from the launch pad. Also read: Stay Away: Why US, Japan, South Korea want the world to strictly ban North Korean workers What are the benefits of this technology? The key advantage of solid-fuelled missiles is that they can be “fueled from the point of manufacture,” according to Joseph Dempsey, a research associate at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. As per his research from earlier this year, “they enable operators to maintain a high state of readiness and the potential to launch within minutes, depending on basing.” A liquid-fueled ICBM, on the other hand, would require fueling prior to launch. Hours could pass during that, giving an enemy time to locate it, respond, and neutralise it before it is launched.

Who has that technology? Solid  fuel  dates back to fireworks developed by the Chinese centuries ago, but made dramatic progress in the mid-20th century, when the U.S. developed more powerful propellants. The Soviet Union fielded its first  solid-fuel  ICBM, the RT-2, in the early 1970s, followed by France’s development of its S3, also known as SSBS, a medium-range ballistic missile. China started testing  solid-fuel  ICBMs in the late 1990s. South Korea said on Friday it had already secured “efficient and advanced”  solid-propellant ballistic missile technology. Solid vs Liquid Liquid propellants provide greater propulsive thrust and power but require more complex technology and extra weight. Solid  fuel  is dense and burns quite quickly, generating thrust over a short time.  Solid  fuel  can remain in storage for an extended period without degrading or breaking down - a common issue with liquid  fuel. Vann Van Diepen, a former US government weapons expert who now works with the 38 North project, said  solid-fuel  missiles are easier and safer to operate, and require less logistical support, making them harder to detect and more survivable than liquid-fuel  weapons. Ankit Panda, a senior fellow at the US-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said any country that operates large scale, missile-based nuclear forces would seek  solid-propellant missiles, which do not need to be  fuelled immediately ahead of launch. “These capabilities are much more responsive in a time of crisis,” Panda said. Why is North Korea interested in this technology? North Korea claimed that the Hwasong-18, a new solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile, will “radically promote” the country’s nuclear counterattack capabilities. The Hwasong-18 will continue to support an aggressive military strategy that vows to maintain “nuke for nuke and an all-out confrontation for an all-out confrontation” against North Korea’s adversaries, according to President Kim Jong Un , according to KCNA. Also read: Korea, US & Japan to hold trilateral defence talks amid N. Korean threats What next? North Korea said the development of its new  solid-fuel  ICBM, the Hwasong-18, would “radically promote” its nuclear counterattack capability. South Korea’s defence ministry sought to downplay the testing, saying the North would need “extra time and effort” to master the technology. Panda said the North could face difficulties ensuring such a large missile does not break apart when the diameter of the booster becomes larger. Although the Hwasong-18 might not be a “game changer”, he said, it will most likely complicate the calculations of the United States and its allies during a conflict. “The most important interest the United States and its allies have is to reduce the risks of nuclear use and escalation stemming from North Korea’s possession of these weapons,” Panda said. With inputs from Reuters Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.