KN-02 Toksa

Hwasong-11[1]
Type SRBM
Place of origin North Korea
USSR
Service history
Used by Korean People's Army Strategic Force
Production history
Manufacturer North Korea
Specifications
Weight 2,010 kg (4,430 lb)
Length 6.4 m (21 ft)
Diameter 0.65 m (2.1 ft)
Warhead single HE, submunition, chemical, biological, nuclear
Warhead weight 250 or 485 kg (551 or 1,069 lb)
Engine Solid-fuel rocket
Propellant solid
Operational
range
 ~120–220 km (75–137 mi)[2][3]
Guidance
system
 Inertial, optical correlation system
Accuracy 100 m[4]
Launch
platform
 TEL

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

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, chemical, or biological payload; Russian engineers could equip the OTR-21 with a 100 kiloton nuclear warhead, but North Korea is not likely to be able to do the same. 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, KN-02s were fired out to a range of 220 km (140 mi).[16]

Operators

See also

OTR-21 Tochka

References

  1. ↑ http://www.neams.ru/real-name/
  2. ↑ http://www.38north.org/2016/03/jschilling032916/
  3. ↑ http://www.nknews.org/2014/08/recent-launches-revealed-as-surface-to-surface-missile/
  4. ↑ https://missilethreat.csis.org/missile/kn-02/
  5. ↑ http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/dprk/missile-designation.htm
  6. 1 2 3 KN-02 - Missilethreat.csis.org
  7. 1 2 3 KN-02 - Military-Today.com
  8. ↑ KN-02 Short Range Ballistic Missile - Globalsecurity.org
  9. ↑ KN-02 (Toksa) - Missiledefenseadvocacy.org
  10. 1 2 KN-02 short-range ground-to-ground ballistic missile - Armyrecognition.com
  11. ↑ OTR-21 Tochka - Weaponsystems.net
  12. ↑ KPA Journal Vol. 1, No. 2 - February 2010
  13. ↑ KPA Journal Vol. 1, No. 3 - March 2010
  14. ↑ N.Korea Developing Anti-Ship Missile - Chosun.com, 14 October 2013
  15. ↑ N. Korea has 100 KN-02 missiles with extended range - Yonhapnews.co.kr, 5 March 2014
  16. ↑ John G. Grisafi (16 August 2014). "Recent launches revealed as surface-to-surface missile". NK News. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
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