Fort Greely, a remote World War Two Army base in Alaska, is equipped with dozens of missile interceptors which Colonel Kevin Kick, commander of the 100th Missile Defence Brigade, has revealed are 100 per cent ready in the event Kim Jong-un follows through on any of his threats to destroy the US.
Colonel Kick said: “You’d see a flash of flame as that GBI [Ground-based Interceptor] would leave the tube at an incredible speed.
“[I have] 100 per cent confidence the missile system would work.”
The interceptors track their target before moving toward and trying to destroy the missile by force of impact, hopefully stopping a nuclear threat.
The Pentagon has a total of 36 missile interceptors at Fort Greely and its other base in California.
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This number is expected to increase to 44 by the end of the year as the US responds to the recent threat of North Korea’s intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) which are capable of reaching America’s mainland.
Speaking after the North Korea test-fired its first ICBM in July, US Senator Dan Sullivan said: “Today, Alaskans awoke to disturbing news that North Korea tested a missile that some experts say may be able to reach Alaska in the near future.
“Now more than ever, it’s imperative for Alaskans and the rest of the nation that we be prepared.”
He added: “I’ve been saying for months that it’s no longer ‘if’ but ‘when’ Kim Jong-un will get the ability to strike US cities with a nuclear missile.”
Donald Trump has declared “talking is not the answer” as he branded Kim Jong-un’s action “threatening and destabilising”.
And the US has dispatched a flight of strategic bombers and stealth fighter jets to the Korean peninsula in a show of force against Pyongyang’s missile programme.
Meanwhile, legislation introduced to the US Congress in May could see the US bolster its capability and capacity to defend the American homeland from North Korean aggression.
Senator Brian Schatz said: “This bill will help improve our ability to defend Hawaii, Alaska, and the US mainland against a North Korean ballistic missile threat.”
Earlier this week Kim Jong-un ordered his military to blast more ballistic missiles as tensions continued to escalate in the region.
The despot leader also oversaw an intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM) launch on Tuesday which flew over Japan before breaking into pieces over the sea.
Just days before North Korea had fired three missiles towards the Sea of Japan, which either failed in flight or exploded almost immediately.