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Reports are emerging that a new North Korean ballistic missile may have been test-fired from a site in Iran.

The new weapon, reportedly dubbed 'Musudan' by intelligence analysts, after the well-known North Korean missile facility, was first seen during a military parade in North Korea last month. No photography was allowed at the parade, but media reports have suggested that US spy satellites spotted a previously unknown rocket, perhaps with a range of 5,000 km.

The new Musudan weapon is believed to be longer-ranging than North Korea's Taepodong-1, and could hit American territory at Guam, but wouldn't be able to reach the continental US. The triple-stage version of the Taepodong-2 was assessed by the Pentagon's Missile Defence Agency in January as much more dangerous, with a potential range of 15,000km. This would put US homeland territory firmly under the North Korean footprint. However, the most recent Taepodong-2 test, in May last year, was a failure.

If the reports are correct, this latest test doesn't indicate any major new threat. The new Musudan missile isn't exceptionally capable, and there isn't any firm indication that it can carry a nuclear warhead yet, supposing one were available.

Nonetheless, these reports do serve to confirm the strength of the cooperative weapons-research axis between Iran and North Korea. ®

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