Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)


North Korea Missiles

if you are not confused,
you don't understand what is going on

Overview

Designation Systems


North Korean missile are very un-American. Much as Carl Sagan spoke of UFO sightings as "brief occasions of amazement", the DPRK presents a bewildering richness of design variants that challenge taxanomic simplification. The Western mindset is seeking a small number of discrete prototypes that presage large scale production. This "big iron" archetype is best set aside in favor of a Burt Rutan / Skunk Works metaphor, in which each DRPK rocket is hand made with specifications responding to unique requirements.

Designation Stages Engine Range IOC Inventory # Comment

SRBM - South Korea

KN-9 1 solid 100 km 2013 R&DTE
KN-1 SS-N-1, Styx Kumsong-1 1 turbojet 110 km ? 2006 20? unknown
KN-2 SS-21 Scarab 1 solid 110 km ? 2006 20* uncertain?
KN-03? Scud-B Hwasong-5 1 liquid 300-330 km 1981-84 < 20*< [was 150] no longer active?
KN-25 1 solid 400 km ?? 2019 R&DTE
KN-24 1 solid 400 km ?? 2019 R&DTE
KN-29 ? Hwasong-8 1 +? ? 400 km ?? 2021 R&DTE hyersonic boost glide
KN-04 Scud-C Hwasong-6 1 liquid 500 km 1989 < 40* [was 300]
KN-17 1 liquid 500 km ?? TBD R&DTE ASBM
KN-23 9K720 Iskander-M 1 solid 450-600 km 2020? none
KN-05? Scud-ER Hwasong-? 1 liquid 750 - 800 km 2003 <40* < [was 350]
KN-21 Scud-ER Hwasong-? 1 liquid 750 - 800 km 2017
KN-23B 9K720 Iskander-M mod 1 solid 750-800 km 2020? none boost-glide

MRBM - Japan

No-dong-A, A1 Hwasong-7 1 liquid 1,100 - 1,600 km 1999 50* < [was 200] SS-N-5
KN-28 ??? Hwasal-1 1 turbojet 1,500 km 2021 R&DTE cruise missile
KN-32 ??? Hwasal-2 1 turbojet 2,000 km 2023 R&DTE cruise missile
KN-15 Pukguksong-2 2 solid 2,000 - 2,500 km 2016 R&DTE MRBM

IRBM - Guam

KN-07? Musudan Hwasong-10 1 liquid 3,200 - 3,860 km 2004 -2007 50*R&DTE SS-N-6 derived
Hwasong-12 2 liquid 4,500 km 2017-R&DTE R&DTE
Hwasong-16 2 liquid 4,500 km 2022-R&DTE R&DTE MARV

ICBM - CONUS

KN-14 No-dong-D ? 3 liquid 6,000-10,000 km 2015 6 - R&D LR-ICBM
R-29RM / SS-N-23 SKIF derivative
KN-08 Hwasong-13 3 liquid 10,000 km + ? ICBM
R-29RM / SS-N-23 SKIF derivative
KN-20 No-dong-C ? Hwasong-14 3 liquid 10,000
6,700 km +
Jul 2017 ? ICBM
R-29RM / SS-N-23 SKIF derivative
KN-22 Hwasong-15 3 liquid 13,000 km + ? ICBM
KN-28 Hwasong-17 3 liquid 13,000 km + 2022 ? ICBM
??? Hwasong-18 3 solid 10,000 km + 2023 ILC

SLBM

KN-11 Pukguksong-1 1 liquid 2,000 - 2,500 km 2015-R&DTE dormant SS-N-6
KN-15? Pukguksong-3 2 solid 2,500 km + ?
KN-? Pukguksong-4 2 solid 2,500 km + ?
KN-? Pukguksong-5 2 solid 9,000 km + ?

Other

KN-? GLCM 2 solid +
turbojet
4,000 km + ?
KN-28 Hwasei 2 diesel+
electric
4,000 km + ? super-torpedo

SLV

NKSL-12 Taep'o-dong-1 2 liquid 2,000 - 2,900 km 1998 ILC Cancelled + solid kickstage
NKSL-X-23 Taep'o-dong-2 Unha-3 2 liquid 6,750 -10,000 km 04 Jul 2006 few R&D ?
Taep'o-dong-3 Unha-9 3 liquid 10,000 - 12,000 km 2018 ?? R & D
NK-SL-X 2-3-4 liquid orbital, GEO, Piloted 2018 ?? R & D NK-SL-X SLV

Notes:

1 - No-dong-B is a provisional designation created by John Pike. The No-dong-B is derived from the Soviet-era SS-N-6 SLBM.

2 - NKSL-1 is an unofficial designation created by Charles Vick.

The NKSL-1 is a Taep'odong-1 missile with a third stage and satellite added.

3 - NKSL-X-2 & NKSL-X-3 is an unofficial designation created by Charles Vick.

NKSL-X-2 is a Taep'o dong-2 & Taep'o-dong-3 missile with a third stage and satellite added.

# inventory holdings are highly uncertain. As of 2018, the DPRK was estimated by one source to have 900 SRBMs, including Scud-Bs, and newer Scud-C and Scud 2 missiles (also known as the KN04, or extended range Scud).

4 -* The Korean Institute for Defense Analysis (KIDA), http://www.kida.re.kr/eng/ suggested numbers of May 2013* This represents a downward assessement compared with some previous estimate. Includes 100 short range Scud types mix, 50 No-dong-A's and 50 No-dong-B's or a total of about 200 semi-mobile Transport Erector Launcher (TEL) mounted launchers. This was also reported by the Department of Defense to the U. S. Senate on May 2, 2013. How many remain in storage as replacements for those stationed on TEL’s are assumed to be higher. The total missile available in 2008 was estimated at greater than 800 while in 2010 it was estimated at 1,000. In 2013 it is estimated at 1,050 available missiles with 200 transport erectors launchers.

5 - KN-06 -Mobile surface to air system called Pongae-5 SAM. KN-04, KN-05, KN-07 and KN-09, uncertain which system it is applied.

6 - [KN-designations are derived from the South Korean military and intelligence community’s missile designation system of its Ministry of Defense. Thus the “KN-X-15”?, means the North Korean-Experimental missile system with a number designation and the next number that is apparently applicable in this incompletely understood numeric designation system. Some DPRK North Korean older phased out missile system do not carry the KN designations.

The older NK- and or NKSL- system is a public derived similar system from the “Cold War” North Korean Satellite Launch System with numeric designations similar to that utilized to define Soviet era satellite launch systems such as the SL-4 Soyuz booster by the US intelligence community.]















Comparisons North Korean (DPRK) and Iranian ballistic missiles & Space boosters through 2013.




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