Can North Korea Hit the U.S. with a Nuclear Ballistic Missile?

Recent missile tests by North Korea have raised the concerns of Americans, including our own President.

"This is a real threat to the world. Whether we want to talk about it or not, North Korea is a big world problem. It's a problem we have to solve. People have put blindfolds on for decades and now it's time to solve the problem," President Donald Trump says.

In response to North Korea's ongoing launches, the U.S. has sent an anti-missile system to South Korea.

The system known as THADD or Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense System is designed to intercept and destroy short and medium-range ballistic missiles in the final stage of flight.

After five nuclear tests in the past decade, some believe North Korea will likely develop missiles capable of reaching the U.S. in a decade or so if left unchecked.

Riki Ellison, founder of Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance, says US allies and military bases are already in danger.

"North Korea has a capability right now to strike Japan, South Korea, Guam, and strike the outer parts of Alaska and Hawaii," he says.

Ellison started the organization in 2002 to boost the United States' missile defense program and make it safer for all who call America home.

If Ellison's name sounds familiar, that's because he was a standout linebacker at the University of Southern California, and was later drafted by the San Francisco 49ers.

Although it's been more than a decade since the former 49er claimed his third Super Bowl ring, Ellison is still making a career on the defense, not on the gridiron but with anti-ballistic missile defense.

He says the U.S. has maintained it's able to protect all 50 states from North Korea.

"We have had over 54 intercepts, hit-to-kill intercepts, which means a bullet on a bullet inside the atmosphere to outside the atmosphere," he explains.

Ellison points out interceptors are already in place at bases in Alaska and California — 37 of them to be precise and 44 will be in place by the end of the year.

Top military commanders told the House Armed Services Committee this week we need more.

Adm. Harry Harris, U.S. Pacific Command Commander, says, "I believe across the range of integrated missile defense we can and need to do more. I believe the interceptors that we have, that defend our homeland directly in Alaska and California are critical. I have suggested that we consider putting interceptors in Hawaii that defend Hawaii directly."

Harris says interceptors to keep the U.S. ahead of the game will take money.
However, it's money not yet allocated in a budget.

"The need is real. I believe we must have a budget. Otherwise, it's going to put us in a very bad place," Adm. Harris says.

A very bad place which could leave the United States unprotected.