Hwasong-16B

The Hwasong-16B is a North Korean solid-fuelled intermediate-range ballistic missile with two stages, cold-launched from a seven-axle transporter-erector launcher by a gas generator. It is about 21 metres long and 2.1 metres in diameter, and it is described as the country's first solid-fuelled missile of its class, which lets it be stored fuelled and launched faster than earlier liquid-fuelled Hwasong models. It carries a hypersonic glide vehicle, and a January 2024 test of the same booster with a manoeuvrable reentry vehicle led some analysts to treat that flight as a separate Hwasong-16A. The first confirmed flight was on 2 April 2024, followed by another on 6 January 2025, both flown to about 1,000 kilometres or somewhat more, although the stated range is up to 5,500 kilometres. Analysts note that it is unproven whether the glide vehicle could reach true intermediate range, in which case it might be better classed as a medium-range missile. It is reported in service from 2024.