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First images coming in from #NorthKorea media: The new submarine looks like it’s a big one. This *might* be the new SSB (USIC designator Sinpo-C). 
I wrote about the Sinpo-C back in 2017 — “...the submarine’s submerged displacement is thought to be in excess of 2,000 tons with a beam measurement of 11 meters.” thediplomat.com/2017/10/the-si…
More images. I’ve been waiting for these since 2017. This is not very subtle of Kim Jong Un.
For a recap: we left off with several ominous indicators of a) a new SLBM (Pukguksong-3) and b) a new submarine in 2017. Several ejection tests of a new SLBM happened that year (mostly unreported). Now, we see the new submarine. One guess at what we might see next.
The USIC assessment of the Sinpo-C was that it would be bigger than 2,000 tons. This definitely looks larger to my eye. 11m beam seems right-ish—hard to tell from the photos.
Also significant: this would mark the first Kim inspection of a North Korean military asset designed to carry and launch nuclear weapons since 2017. He’s not disarming, folks.
Also, Comrades Kim Jong Sik and Jang Chang Ha is in tow for the inspection this time. The rocket men are back.
Dropping this image here for your reference. Our first glimpse at the Pukguksong-3 SLBM in August 2017 during KJU’s tour of the Chemical Materials Institute.
Finally: Kim Jong Un has *not made any commitment not to test SLBMs*. They wouldn’t start off testing from this sub, which is very much not ready for sea. Likely, we’d see an underwater pontoon ejection/partial flight/full flight test series.
Just in: official English translation of the KCNA release. Please note the appearance of the word “strategic” here, which #NorthKorea has been careful to omit from other military activity-related statements in 2018-2019. (It’s a rather unsubtle euphemism for “nuclear.”)
“...the submarine was designed and built to be capable of fully implementing the military strategic intention of the Party under various circumstances” — this means it’s designed to carry nuclear-capable ballistic missiles for strategic deterrence.
Two high resolution images released by KCNA of the new submarine. #NorthKorea
More images this morning via the KCTV broadcast of the visit.
More.
Just a liiittle more resolution would be nice.
