What If North Korea Launched a Nuclear Bomb (Minute by Minute)
The Infographics Show・16 minutes read
North Korean launches Hwasong-15 missile, triggering US defense response with activated interceptors and special ops forces deployed to prevent imminent attack. US successfully intercepts North Korean warhead after initial misses, prompting President to seek war declaration from Congress.
Insights
- Kim Jong Un personally gives the launch order for the Hwasong-15 missile, highlighting the centralized control and direct involvement of North Korean leadership in military decisions.
- The US deploys a comprehensive and coordinated defense strategy, involving various missile defense systems, air assets, ground forces, and special operations to counter the North Korean threat, showcasing the complexity and readiness of American military capabilities in response to potential attacks.
Get key ideas from YouTube videos. It’s free
Recent questions
What is the Hwasong-15 missile?
A long-range intercontinental ballistic missile.
How did the US respond to the missile launch?
Activated missile defense systems and prepared interceptors.
What role did US supercomputers play in the response?
Calculated firing solution for interceptors.
How did US forces prepare for air dominance?
Readied F-15s and F-16s in Guam, Japan, and South Korea.
What actions did US special ops forces take?
Departed to North Korean nuclear facilities.
Related videos
60 Minutes
North Korea and the new Cold War | 60 Minutes Full Episodes
The New York Times
From North Korea, With Dread
DW Documentary
The Kim dynasty and North Korea's nuclear weapons | DW Documentary
60 Minutes Australia
Reporter granted rare access inside secretive North Korea | 60 Minutes Australia
ABC News
ABC World News Tonight with David Muir Full Broadcast - April 15, 2024
Summary
00:00
North Korean missile launch triggers US response
- Technicians in a North Korean mountain complex remove camouflage from an underground bunker to reveal a massive truck carrying the Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile.
- The launch command officer receives a phone call from Kim Jong Un, giving the launch order at 00:01.
- The missile fires its main engine at 00:01, detected by the US Space Based Infrared System satellites.
- The missile reaches supersonic flight at 00:08 and continues its trajectory.
- US Space Force personnel confirm the launch as authentic at 00:45 and alert US forces in South Korea and the Pacific.
- US Terminal High Altitude Defense batteries in South Korea, Guam, and Hawaii are activated at 02:00.
- Patriot missile defense batteries and AEGIS equipped warships in the region are put on alert at 02:10.
- The Ground Based Midcourse Defense system is activated at 02:20 to intercept the missile before it enters the terminal phase.
- The US president authorizes the use of Ground-Based Interceptors against the incoming threat at 03:15.
- American supercomputers calculate a firing solution for interceptors, leading to the launch of four GBIs from California at 08:05.
10:46
US Prepares to Intercept North Korean Nuke
- US prepares to intercept North Korean nuke with kinetic warhead, utilizing TPY-2 and sea-based radars for tracking data.
- Air crews in Guam, Japan, and South Korea ready F-15s and F-16s for air dominance, with B-2 bombers unavailable, B-52s are set for immediate action.
- US interceptors head to space for intercept point, with Navy's AEGIS vessels as backup; target likely Los Angeles.
- US special ops forces depart to North Korean nuclear facilities, while ground-attack aircraft aim to prevent a second attack.
- US President requests Congress for war declaration, as US successfully intercepts North Korean warhead after two initial misses.
