[Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club] Hyunmoo 4 Series to be Launched from the East Sea

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] The military is expected to conduct test launches of the Hyunmoo 4 missile in the East Sea starting at the end of this year. Until now, the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) has conducted missile test launches at the Anheung Test Site located in Taean-gun, Chungnam Province, but with the planned introduction of a test ship capable of missile testing, test launches will now be possible in the East Sea as well.

On the 22nd, a government official stated, “The ADD Missile Research Institute plans to introduce a test ship capable of launching missiles at a cost of 600 billion KRW and deploy it in the East Sea,” adding, “The test ship will be able to launch interceptor missiles and others.”

ADD invested 150 billion KRW to complete the East Sea Test Site for missile test launches. Tracking stations for missile interception were established on Hwangbyeongsan in Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon Province, and on Ulleungdo Island, and a research center for analyzing various test data was also built in Samcheok City. Additionally, 6 billion KRW was spent to introduce live-fire analysis equipment.

With the introduction of the test ship next year, interceptor missiles can also be launched in the East Sea. The test ship is designed to operate along the virtual route of an Aegis destroyer and to conduct test launches in case of emergency. The training airspace has been designated as an area 50 km north of Ulleungdo and within 200 km east of the East Coast. Once these facilities are in place, it will be possible to evaluate not only the operational status of SM-2 components launched from East Coast vessels but also the flight trajectory of the SM-2 and whether the target was hit.

Some experts also assess that among the Hyunmoo-4 series missiles currently being developed by ADD, the ship-to-ground ballistic missile ‘Hyunmoo 4-2’ and the submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) ‘Hyunmoo 4-4’ could be tested in the East Sea. Until now, ADD has conducted high-angle test launches at the Anheung Test Site, but the range could not exceed 400 km, limiting long-range missile launches. However, launching from the East Coast is expected to allow test launches over distances exceeding 800 km to Ieodo.

In particular, it is expected that the sea-based ballistic missile interceptor ‘SM-2’ can also be launched. Until now, the Navy has been unable to conduct launches domestically and has only occasionally conducted launch training overseas.