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North Korea's military warned it would "ruthlessy ravage" the United States if it came under attack as a US aircraft carrier heads towards the region.

The United States has sent its USS Carl Vinson, deployed against IS militants in Iraq and Syria, amid mounting fears North Korea could conduct a fresh nuclear weapons test.

And North Korea has appeared to react to the move by stating it will fight back if Washington chose to attack.

In a statement reported by North Korea's official KCNA news agency, its military said: "Our toughest counteraction against the US and its vassal forces will be taken in such a merciless manner as not to allow the aggressors to survive."

Speculation over the capabilities of North Korea to hit targets around the world with a nuclear missile are intensifying amid rising tensions with the rogue nation.

(Image: rodong.rep.kp)

Military experts this week estimated the country would be able to hit both the United States west coast (5,000 miles) or Australia (4,500 miles) within four years - or within this term of US President Donald Trump.

The United Kingdom is about 5,300 miles from Kim Jong-Un's regime.

However, in 2013, then prime minister David Cameron had claimed the country could hit Britain with a nuclear weapon.

The Prime Minister had warned the regime’s arsenal was so powerful the “whole” of America, Europe and the UK was within reach.

(Image: AFP)

North Korea regularly marks anniversaries such as tomorrow's 105th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il-sung, North Korea's founding father, with displays of military might.

It is speculated it may test a nuclear bomb for the event amid a war of words with Mr Trump this week.

A former CIA officer and special assistant to ex-U.S President George W Bush, Dennis Wilder, said within four years North Korea could be capable of reaching the US with a missile, the ABC reports.

The long-range intercontinental ballistic missile would be capable of reaching the US west coast, he said.

Mr Wilder said: "Such a move would be disastrous, after all a 10-kiloton weapon could kill 100,000 people.

"We believe, and American intelligence estimates say this, that the North Koreans could have such a weapon within the next four years."

Australia was warned this week that it could be hit with a missile from North Korea within two years, Yahoo reports.

A US diplomat in Canberra, James Caruso, made the warning, saying there were growing concerns over Kim Jong-un.

“It is hard to see any rational approach to what he does, other than true paranoia," he said.

"If he’s worried about his position, and holding on to his power no matter what the cost is — the world shouldn't be comfortable.”

In 2013, Mr Cameron had said: “North Korea does now have missile technology that is able to reach as they put it the whole of the United States, so if they’re able to reach the whole of the US they can reach Europe too. They can reach us too.”