Missile Hwasong-15

The Hwasong-15 is a North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile developed as a successor to the Hwasong-14. Its development followed the cancellation of the Hwasong-13 project and an early 2017 announcement regarding the final stages of long-range missile testing. The system was first test-fired on November 28, 2017.

The missile utilizes a two-stage liquid propulsion system. The first stage incorporates the Paektusan engine, which consists of two combustors fed by a common turbopump using N2O4 and UDMH propellants. This stage employs a gimbaled two-chambered main engine system, a departure from earlier designs that used fixed chambers and vernier thrusters. The second-stage engine underwent independent testing in June 2017. The re-entry vehicle features a blunt nose cone designed to accommodate larger diameter nuclear warheads while reducing structural stress and thermal loading during atmospheric re-entry. Analysis indicates the payload section may support multiple warheads or decoys. A modified variant features an elongated shroud, a shortened first stage, and a potential third stage.

The Korean People's Army Strategic Force is the primary operator of the system. The missile is transported via a nine-axle transporter erector launcher, though flight tests have been conducted from fixed launch pads. The Hwasong-15 has appeared in military parades in 2018, 2020, and 2022. Following its initial 2017 test, a second flight was conducted on February 18, 2023, by the 1st Red Flag Hero Company. This launch was executed under a sudden order issued the same morning. A November 2022 test of a modified variant resulted in a flight failure following second-stage separation. There is no record of combat use.