Posted on 04/22/2017 8:01:28 AM PDT by darkwing104
During a showdown with the United States, North Korea attempted to test launch a land-based ballistic missile from its eastern coast. But the missile exploded almost immediately after launch. The disastrous test launch has fueled media speculation that the failed attempt was the result of a clandestine, U.S. cyber-attack.
When asked if U.S. cyber-attack cause the explosion of the North Korean test launch, White House Deputy National Security Adviser K.T. McFarland told reporters, “We can’t talk about secret intelligence and things that might have been done, covert operations that might have happened.”
an interview with the BBC, Former British Conservative Foreign Secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind said it was possible the missile either malfunctioned or was sabotaged by a US cyber-attack.
The origin of the U.S. sabotage speculation is based on a New York Times article from March 4, 2017. They reported that President Trump inherited an intelligence operation to conduct cyber and electronic attacks aimed at sabotaging North Korean missile launches from the previous administration.
Conspiracy theories aside, the most likely reason for the missile launch failure is the fact that the hermit nation of North Korea depends upon foreign imports to build its missiles. They can assemble missiles but lack the manufacturing capability
The launch platform involved the test of a solid fuel rocket. This is new technology and more difficult for North Korea’s engineers to master.
The cyber-attack narrative may actually be a Psychological Operation (PSYOP) against North Korea’s supreme leader Kim Jong Un. Since the Cyber operations leaks are not coming from insiders to the main stream media, it may well be a PSYOP campaign. The hacking would create uncertainty for Kim, causing him to believe that his empire could be easily compromised by the West.
(Excerpt) Read more at thecoachsteam.com ...
A few years ago, countries like Iran accused Israel of sabotaging their war systems. Now in the Trump Era, the USA is back in the position of being seen as a county capable of
disabling the weapons of it’s foes, and without leaving any obvious fingerprints.
Good. Let the enemy wonder exactly what our capabilities are,
and what is exaggerated myth.
Or....it could just be ineptitude on their part.
If we told you, we’d have to shoot you.
Agreed
Boy was that boring :)
Probably true...but wouldn’t make a best seller!
Of course as someone once said: Never ascribe to malice that which can be adequately explained by incompetence.
Rockets fail. New Rockets fail spectacularly. Solid fuel rockets have a serious manufacturing learning curve. Add it up. The rocket probably didn’t need any ‘help’ from us — it blew up on its own.
And that his next launch might just get redirected straight into Pyongyang. :)
It could be permissive action links embedded in computer chips North Korea sources from China. If and when the China want to see a launch exceed 15 feet they will give Kim the requusite codes.
In the meantime, let them think and pursue every paranoid possibility.
Exactly, let them worry and wonder.
NK’s launch failure rate is 88%, blaming sabotage is like Hillary claiming the Russians did her in.
You’re probably right. The chances of developing large scale solid fuel rockets without a few spectacular failures are very slim. The nice thing about putting the cyber attack question out there is it gets them thinking “but what if... could the west have ...?” Which will cause them to institute additional rules, inspections, procedures... all of which take resources and negatively impact productivity.
I remember watching our missiles blow up on the stand on live TV in living black & white. Vanguard, Jupiter C, Redstone etc. etc.
RE: sabotaged by a US cyber-attack.
Are the Computers used for these missile launches connected to any network at all?
I had dozens of those when I was a kid.
Great fun and very educational.
L
I think it’s easier for the NKs to blame the failure of the rocket on US cyber attacks than to admit that their missile launch systems just plain suck......
Ask yourself this: would you want to be serving on that prototype NK ballistic missile sub? Of course, this missile failure probably isn’t common knowledge even in the NK military.
Externally, Highly unlikely. Internally, Payongyang was probably monitoring on a closed network.
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