North Korean nuclear missile could hit US in just 33 minutes, new study finds
A missile from North Korea could reach the United States in just about 33 minutes, according to a study conducted by China.
The new report quotes Open Nuclear Network analyst Tianran Xu as saying that Chinese scientists performed a simulation of a North Korean missile attack on the United States.
The study found that the nuclear missile could hit the continental United States if missile defense systems failed to intercept it, within 33 minutes. Targets on the West Coast and East Coast of the United States would be easily accessible, the study showed.
The study used the hypothetical launch of North Korea’s Hwasong-15 missile, a nuclear-capable missile with an effective range of 13,000 km, “enough to strike the entire territory of the United States”, the scientists said according to the South China Morning Post.
US Missile Defense Headquarters would receive an alert approximately 20 seconds after the missile was launched, and the first batch of US interceptor missiles would take off within 11 minutes from Fort Greely, Alaska. Another wave of interceptors would be launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, should the first series fail.
The study indicated that the existing US missile defense network has gaps that could be exploited by adversaries.
According to the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, the US missile defense system was 55% effective and “cannot be relied upon to protect the United States from even extremely limited attack”.
