North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un said it tested a new hypersonic missile this week aimed at deterring the country's Pacific rivals, state media reported Tuesday. VIDEOGRAPHIC
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00:00Considered the next generation of weapons, these missiles are characterized by their
00:12ability to travel at speeds of more than Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound.
00:19There are two types, the hypersonic cruise missile and the hypersonic glider.
00:25The latter is carried by a ballistic missile.
00:28The glider separates from its missile to reach the upper atmosphere above 50 kilometers.
00:35Then it hovers at hypersonic speed towards its target along an unpredictable trajectory.
00:42The objective is to maintain altitudes above anti-missile or anti-aircraft defense systems.
00:50Without propulsion, it gradually decelerates and can perform evasive actions such as zigzags
00:55to reach its target by thwarting opponent interception systems.
01:01The cruise missile meanwhile has its own propulsion in the form of a ramjet with supersonic combustion.
01:06Once in flight, the missile moves at high speed before diving onto its target.
01:12This missile flies at a lower altitude than the glider at around 20 to 30 kilometers and
01:17can maneuver in full flight, which is its advantage.
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