Kim Jong Un's regime could launch a fully-capable nuclear strike by the middle of summer 2018, according to an assessment by Britain's defence ministry. Lord Howe told MPs this January that a missile could be ready in as little as six months, a deadline of late July. The Ministry of Defence confirmed to Business Insider that it stands by the assessment. Pyongyang tested successful intercontinental ballistic missiles last year. The next step is combining it to a nuclear warhead, which would allow a full-blown strike. North Korea could launch a full-blown nuclear strike on the US as early as July 23, 2018, according to a prediction from Britain's Ministry of Defence.
