The intercontinental ballistic missile that North Korea launched on Wednesday appears to be significantly larger and more powerful than previous versions, according to independent analysts.
“It’s a monster,” says Vipin Narang, an associate professor at MIT who tracks the North’s nuclear capabilities. The missile is so much larger than previous versions that Narang suspects it could carry a powerful thermonuclear weapon, regardless of whether the North has managed to make a compact, missile-friendly version.
“They wouldn’t have to miniaturize much,” Narang says.
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