North Korea may be heading for serial production of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) that can reach the United States, a Pentagon top official warns.
General Gregory Guillott, commander of the US Northern Commander (USNORTHCOM), is likely to be able to provide the Senate Armed Services Committee on February 13 with a nuclear payload for Kim Jong-un’s administration to target North America. He said.
He also warned that the solid propellant design of North Korea’s latest missile means they can launch an attack in a much shorter time.
Guillot pointed to the test launch of North Korea’s October test. This is the Hwasong-19 ICBM, a solid fuel missile that can be deployed and prepared to launch much faster than a liquid fuel variant.
He warned that rhetoric from Pyongyang suggests Kim is eager to move from research and development to full-scale production and deployment of strategic weapons.
Guillot added that the shift could significantly increase North Korea’s missile inventory. He also expressed deep concern over the expansion of North Korea’s military ties with Russia during the Ukrainian War, highlighting the global interconnection of these threats.
“The North’s willingness to put its troops at risk to support Russia’s war in Ukraine shows the length of these partners willing to advance their strategic position,” he said. added.
Meanwhile, the scope of North Korea’s operational capabilities remains the subject of debate in the US military. In November, Admiral Samuel Paparo, head of the US Indo-Pacific Command, successfully combined the combination with ICBM, which allows North Korea to survive nuclear warheads while testing continued at an event at the Brookings facility. He said there was no clear evidence that this was the case. Flying, re-entering the atmosphere.
Following the Hwasong-19 debut, Kim Jong-un described it as a major weapon to protect North Korea and deter potential enemies.
Pyongyang’s state media has assembled the development of missiles as a necessary response to our and South Korea’s threat. With the potential expansion of North Korea’s ICBMS’s expanded arsenal, North Korea was able to pose even greater challenges to US national security over the next few years.
The missile threat puts us to test our defenses
North Korea’s Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) program has been developed for decades, but has made great strides in recent years.
As a result, General Gregory Guillott repeatedly sounds alarms for Pyongyang’s expanding missile capabilities, warning that the limits of US defense can be tested immediately.
Last year, Gillot expressed concern that Kim Jong-un’s growing ICBMS stockpile could drive the US missile defense system into its capabilities.
He warned that the challenge could improve North Korea’s ability to avoid interception when it moves to equip missiles with multiple re-entry vehicles (MRVs).
In his latest testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee on February 13, Guillott issued a broader warning about the geopolitical landscape. He said that global tensions can be inadvertently raised as the major US enemies try to expand their influence.
He aims to avoid direct military conflicts with the United States by China, Russia, North Korea and Iran, but the perception of Western decline encourages them to challenge American domination, and He said that this increases the risk of miscalculation in a crisis.
Beyond these established rivals, Washington also continues to closely monitor Pakistan, which is believed to be working towards gaining missile capabilities that could threaten US territory.
The US has already imposed sanctions on several Pakistani entities, including the Nationally owned National Development Complex (NDC) to be involved in the development of long-range missile systems, such as the Shaheen series.
Meanwhile, Guillot’s remarks are expected to intensify debate in support of expanding the US missile defense program. His concerns are often consistent with President Donald Trump’s push for a comprehensive missile shield compared to Israel’s “Iron Doll.”
Last month, Trump issued an executive order directing the acceleration of new missile detection and intercepting systems, including preemptive attack capabilities. The Pentagon is currently working on refinement of these plans as part of its 2026 defense budget.
Today, the US maintains a network of over 40 ground-based interceptors located in Fort Greeley, Alaska, and a Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
However, as rival nations continue to move their missile capabilities rapidly, US defense authorities emphasize the importance of strengthening and expanding the country’s missile defense system to ensure a more comprehensive protective shield. I’m doing it.
