[Exclusive] 'Korean-style Poison Needle Weapon'... First Test of Anti-Ship Supersonic Cruise Missile

Missile Three Times Faster Than Existing Ones
Development of Key Kill Chain Weapon for Preemptive Strike

The Agency for Defense Development (ADD) is set to conduct the first test of an air-to-ship supersonic cruise missile. The supersonic cruise missile is considered a key weapon in the ‘kill chain’ for preemptive strikes in emergencies, as it is about three times faster than existing missiles.

Conceptual image of the Korean fighter jet KF-21 launching a domestically produced supersonic air-to-ship missile. (Photo by Agency for Defense Development)

On the 17th, a government official stated, "At the ADD Anheung Test Site, a comprehensive system test including the design technology of the supersonic stealth flying body is scheduled for the 18th," adding, "The performance of the ramjet engine, a core technology of the supersonic missile, will also be verified at this event."

The supersonic missile being tested by ADD this time is an air-to-ship supersonic missile designed to strike naval vessels from the air. The supersonic cruise missile is a weapon system that integrates advanced aerospace technologies such as engine technology, precision control, and ultra-high temperature heat-resistant materials. In particular, the ramjet engine technology applied to hypersonic cruise missiles is possessed by only a few countries.

‘Korean-style Sting Weapon’ Supersonic Missile to be Equipped on FA-50 and KF-21 after Development

Once the air-to-ship supersonic missile is developed, it is planned to be equipped on the domestically produced light attack aircraft FA-50 and the Korean fighter KF-21. The KF-21 is expected to carry two types of air-to-air missiles, ten types of air-to-ground bombs, and one type of air-to-ground missile, so equipping it with a supersonic air-to-ground missile will enable it to simultaneously strike targets on land, sea, and air.

The speed of the supersonic cruise missile is Mach 3 to 4 or higher, making it impossible for North Korea to intercept. This is why it is evaluated as a ‘Korean-style sting weapon.’ The cruise missiles previously possessed by our military had excellent accuracy but were generally subsonic, i.e., below the speed of sound, making them interceptable.

In September 2021, ADD successfully test-fired a ground-to-ship supersonic missile. This missile is designed to strike naval vessels from land and, when deployed on our eastern and western coasts, can precisely target enemy aircraft carriers and other ships located 300 to 500 km away.

Following the ground-to-ship missile, if the development of an air-to-ground supersonic missile is achieved, the military plans to develop hypersonic missiles exceeding Mach 5. Such missiles could reach the airspace over Pyongyang from Seoul in just 1 minute and 15 seconds. The hypersonic missile development plan was first officially announced by former Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo at the 50th anniversary ceremony of the Agency for Defense Development in August 2020. If developed, Korea will become the fourth country in the world to possess hypersonic missile technology, following the U.S., China, and Russia.