In lieu of another “beautiful” letter, North Korea’s state media today released photos of what appears to be a Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile Submarine, which it says is nearly ready for deployment.
Commentators on Twitter noted that the photos had been cropped to leave out the top of the sub, where relevant missile launching hardware would be placed, and that the steel plating sheathing the sub seems a but pieced together, unlike the smooth hulled U.S. SSBMs.
One called it the “Spruce Goose” of missile submarines.
Nevertheless, this is a significant development.
“Analysts said the Kim regime has sought to build a viable nuclear-armed submarine to enhance its deterrence capabilities, as the vessels are hard for adversaries to track and destroy. The regime successfully test-fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) in 2016……Dave Schmerler, a senior research associate at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, said the images suggested that the sub under construction is much larger than the one used in 2016.“If this submarine is built for carrying and launching SLBMs it is more than likely that they would test it, to ensure that it works the way they would need it to,” Schmerler said.”
It is possible that the “beautiful” photos were released to tweak Trump, whom the DPRK says is reneging on promises not to go ahead with joint military drills with the south.
“North Korea said Trump committed to suspending joint military exercises during his first meeting with Kim in Singapore, and hinted that it could renege on its decision to stop testing nuclear weapons and intercontinental-range ballistic missiles should the drills go ahead….…”Our discontinuation of the nuclear and ICBM tests and the US suspension of joint military exercises are, to all its intents and purposes, commitments made to improve bilateral relations. They are not a legal document inscribed on a paper,” North Korea’s Foreign Ministry said.”
Still, they are “beautiful, beautiful” pictures Lil Kim.
Perhaps you could enclose some copies in a big ass envelope and mail them to your paramour with a big S.W.A.K. emblazoned on the back?
I’m sure he would love them.
This is one hell of a prop or maybe just a lumbering hippo that could kill millions of people … the difference between the US and Korea, and even during the big war with Japan back in the day, they sent/would send troops and sailors on one-way missions without a return ticket … Japan had suicide dive bombers, basically human guided bombs, this could be a slower version of sub … not even sure about depth capability, looks a lot like welded strips of sheet metal that was roll-formed, with heat distortion as well … might be surprisingly mobile … all it has to do is hide deep enough to obstruct obvious visual discovery then specialty equipment would need to be used to spot-track-destroy …
We are talking about just another Trump narcissism wise, but so far, Trump has not fed any relatives to a pack of starving dogs, executed a beautiful girlfriend, and many others, just because he has to maintain the ultimate dictator stance as a leader of fear tactics with HIS rules … just like Hitler … Trump loves these people … scary stuff … interesting photo, Trump probably has a large version tacked up on one wall of his golden penthouse at the TRUMP TOWER … a little signage by Trump along the bottom … “What a guy – DJT”