KN-02 Toksa

The KN-02 Toksa (Korean: 독사; lit. Viper 毒蛇), Hwasong-11[5] is a North Korean reverse-engineered locally produced modification of the OTR-21 Tochka short-range ballistic missile.

Hwasong-11[1]
TypeSRBM
Place of originNorth Korea
USSR
Service history
In service2008-present
Used byKorean People's Army Strategic Force
Production history
ManufacturerNorth Korea
Specifications
Mass2,010 kg (4,430 lb)
Length6.4 m (21 ft)
Diameter0.65 m (2.1 ft)
Warheadsingle HE, submunition, thermonuclear, chemical
Warhead weight250 or 485 kg (551 or 1,069 lb)
EngineSolid-fuel rocket
Propellantsolid
Operational
range
~120–220 km (75–137 mi)[2][3]
Guidance
system
Inertial, optical correlation system
Accuracy100 m[4]
Launch
platform
TEL
KN-02 Toksa
Chosŏn'gŭl
Hancha
Revised RomanizationDoksa
McCune–ReischauerToksa
lit. Viper

Design and development

In 1983, Syria acquired a number of 9K79 Tochka (SS-21 Scarab-A) missiles from the Soviet Union, a single-stage, solid-propellant guided missile with a range of 70 km and a CEP of 160 m. In 1996, Syrian missile technicians provided North Korea with technical data on the missiles, then shipped some of the missiles themselves. The first test of a North Korean-produced version occurred in April 2004 and was a failure, but it was then successfully fired on 1 May 2005 into the Sea of Japan; the KN-02 has been tested at least 17 times. Initial production is believed to have begun in 2006, with the missile displayed aboard a launcher during a military parade in April 2007, and entering service in 2008. At least 50 missiles are speculated to be in service.[6][7][8]

The KN-02 is a short-range, road-mobile ballistic missile, broadly equivalent to improved Scarab-B. Although it has a shorter range than other North Korean missiles like the Scud-C, it has superior accuracy of near 100 meters CEP through inertial guidance with an optical correlation system in the terminal phase, making it the most accurate ballistic missile in the inventory; this enables it to be used for precision strikes against priority targets such as airfields, command posts, bridges, storage facilities, and even enemy troops concentrations in a tactical support role on the battlefield. Its warhead weighs 485 kg (1,069 lb) and likely consists of a high-explosive, submunition, thermonuclear, chemical payload; Russian engineers could equip the OTR-21 with a 100 kiloton nuclear warhead. The missile has a range of 120–140 km (75–87 mi), and it may be capable of traveling 160 km (99 mi) through reducing payload to 250 kg (550 lb).[6][7][9][10]

A significant difference between the Russian OTR-21 and North Korean KN-02 is the transporter erector launcher (TEL). While the Russian missile is transported and fired from the 6×6 9P129 that has amphibious capabilities, the KN-02's TEL is a locally fabricated version of the Belarusian MAZ-630308-224 or -243 6×4 or 6×6 commercial heavy utility truck, which has a maximum road speed of 60 km/h (37 mph) and is not amphibious. The vehicle has a short firing cycle, able to be ready for launch in 16 minutes, launch the missile in 2 minutes, and be reloaded in 20 minutes by a supporting reloader vehicle of the same design fitted with a crane and holding 2-4 more missiles.[6][7][10][11][12][13]

Further developments

In 2013, South Korean intelligence reports suggested that North Korea was developing an anti-ship ballistic missile version of the KN-02. Its range is estimated to be 200–300 km (120–190 mi; 110–160 nmi), longer than current KN-01 variants, and it would be much more difficult to intercept due to its faster speed.[14]

In March 2014, a South Korean military source claimed that the KN-02's range had been extended to 170 km (110 mi) through improved engine performance. The source also claimed that North Korea possessed 100 missiles with 30 TELs deployed to fire them.[15] In August 2014, three KN-02s were fired out to a range of 220 km (140 mi)[16] and estimated to have 100 meter circular error probable accuracy.[17]

Extended range Hwasong-11/KN-02 is referred to as KN-10.[18][19][20][21] It is expected that range of the missile is greater than 230 kilometers.[22]

The U.S. identified the KN-10 system back in 2010.[23]

Operators

See also

OTR-21 Tochka

References
  1. "Real Name!". Northeast Asian Military Studies. 16 July 2017. Archived from the original on 13 August 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  2. Schilling, John (29 March 2016). "A Solid but Incremental Improvement in North Korea's Missiles". 38 North. Archived from the original on 22 June 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  3. Grisafi, John G. (16 August 2014). "Recent launches revealed as surface-to-surface missile". NK News. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  4. "KN-02 'Toksa'". Missile Threat. Center for Strategic and International Studies. Archived from the original on 26 February 2017. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
  5. "North Korean Missile Designations". Global Security. Archived from the original on 19 August 2017. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  6. KN-02 Archived 4 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine - Missilethreat.csis.org
  7. KN-02 Archived 31 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine - Military-Today.com
  8. KN-02 Short Range Ballistic Missile Archived 23 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine - Globalsecurity.org
  9. KN-02 (Toksa) Archived 5 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine - Missiledefenseadvocacy.org
  10. KN-02 short-range ground-to-ground ballistic missile Archived 6 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine - Armyrecognition.com
  11. OTR-21 Tochka Archived 14 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine - Weaponsystems.net
  12. KPA Journal Vol. 1, No. 2 Archived 9 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine - February 2010
  13. KPA Journal Vol. 1, No. 3 - March 2010
  14. N.Korea Developing Anti-Ship Missile Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine - Chosun.com, 14 October 2013
  15. N. Korea has 100 KN-02 missiles with extended range Archived 29 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine - Yonhapnews.co.kr, 5 March 2014
  16. John G. Grisafi (16 August 2014). "Recent launches revealed as surface-to-surface missile". NK News. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
  17. "N.Korea Fired Ballistic Missiles for Pope's Visit". english.chosun.com.
  18. "North Korea's March Towards ICBM Capability". 2 June 2017.
  19. "[취재파일] 北 미사일 시리즈, 어느새 KN-11까지". SBS NEWS. 22 March 2015.
  20. "[기획] '눈 가리고 주먹질' 하는 킬 체인...반쪽짜리 논란". 나우뉴스.
  21. "무기 토론방 - 유용원의 군사세계". bemil.chosun.com.
  22. "한미 당국, 北 14일 발사체 "신형 전술미사일" 결론". 중앙일보. 18 August 2014.
  23. "北, 신형 지대지 전술미사일 개발한 듯…에이태킴스와 닮은 꼴(종합2보)". YonhapNews. 11 August 2019.
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