[Asia Economy Reporter Yang Nak-gyu] The short-range projectile launched by North Korea on the 2nd has been analyzed to be a super-large multiple rocket launcher.
On the 3rd, the Korean Central News Agency reported, "Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, personally supervised the rocket launcher firing training of the frontline long-range artillery units on the 2nd," adding, "Chairman Kim expressed great satisfaction with how perfectly prepared his firepower combat units are to carry out their missions."
The rocket launcher fired by North Korea on that day is a 600mm-class super-large multiple rocket launcher. A multiple rocket launcher operates by bundling several launch tubes and simultaneously firing multiple shells toward a target. North Korea also presented images of 240mm-class rockets, suggesting that a joint strike training was conducted targeting a small rocky islet (known as Alseom) off the coast of Kimchaek City, North Hamgyong Province. If North Korea has succeeded in operationalizing the 600mm-class super-large multiple rocket launcher, the mass production of a new set of four weapons may soon begin.
North Korea's new set of four weapons includes the new tactical guided missile (tactical guided weapon, North Korean version of Iskander), new large-caliber guided multiple rocket launcher, North Korean version of ATACMS, and the super-large multiple rocket launcher. North Korea has launched each of these four times, twice, twice, and four times respectively.
The projectiles launched by North Korea on May 4th and 9th were "a new type of short-range ballistic missile with characteristics similar to Russia's Iskander." This missile, called the North Korean version of Iskander (KN-23), is a latest short-range tactical ballistic missile developed by Russia, capable of evasive maneuvers to strike targets, thus evading most existing missile defense systems and considered a highly threatening weapon.
On July 31st and August 2nd last year, North Korea launched short-range ballistic missiles but claimed them to be "new large-caliber guided multiple rocket launchers." Multiple rocket launchers operate by bundling several launch tubes and firing multiple shells simultaneously at a target. If this claim is accurate, these are 400mm-class rocket launchers. It is suggested that these may be upgraded versions of North Korea's existing 300mm new rocket launchers. North Korea's existing 107mm, 122mm, and 240mm rocket launchers have ranges that do not reach 200 km. The 300mm new rocket launcher developed by North Korea, modeled after China's WS-1B, has a range of 170 to 200 km, similar to short-range missiles.
On August 16th last year, North Korea launched a tactical surface-to-surface ballistic missile called the North Korean version of ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System, a U.S.-made tactical surface-to-surface missile). The ATACMS missile travels at Mach 3, is 4 meters long, and 600mm in diameter, containing hundreds of submunitions capable of devastating an area equivalent to 3 to 4 soccer fields with a single shot. Observers note that North Korea's "new weapon" is larger in length and circumference and flies at twice the speed of ATACMS, potentially possessing even greater destructive power.
The firing duration of the 600mm super-large multiple rocket launcher has been decreasing. When North Korea fired the super-large multiple rocket launcher last September, it announced a firing duration of "19 minutes." This was shortened to "3 minutes" in October and "30 seconds" in November. The Joint Chiefs of Staff announced that the firing duration of the super-large multiple rocket launcher on the 2nd was 20 seconds. Analysts believe that North Korea has already reduced the firing duration to enhance its surprise attack capability, completed operationalization, and is conducting skilled training.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
