New Missiles Could Threaten US

[Annie]

First this from Reuters:

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=564&u=/nm/20040803/ts_nm/korea_north_missiles_dc&printer=1

New N. Korean Missiles Said to Threaten U.S.

Tue Aug 3,11:42 AM ET

By Mark Trevelyan

BERLIN (Reuters) - North Korea (news - web sites) is deploying new land- and sea-based ballistic missiles that can carry nuclear warheads and may have sufficient range to hit the United States, according to the authoritative Jane's Defense Weekly.

In an article due to appear Wednesday, Jane's said the two new systems appeared to be based on a decommissioned Soviet submarine-launched ballistic missile, the R-27.

It said communist North Korea had acquired the know-how during the 1990s from Russian missile specialists and by buying 12 former Soviet submarines which had been sold for scrap metal but retained key elements of their missile launch systems.

Jane's, which did not specify its sources, said the sea-based missile was potentially the more threatening of the two new weapons systems.

"It would fundamentally alter the missile threat posed by the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) and could finally provide its leadership with something that it has long sought to obtain -- the ability to directly threaten the continental U.S.," the weekly said.

Apart from targeting the United States, South Korea (news - web sites) or Japan, cash-strapped North Korea might seek to sell the technology to countries that have bought its missiles in the past, with Iran a prime candidate, the article added.

Ian Kemp, news editor of Jane's Defense Weekly, said North Korea would only spend the money and effort on developing such missiles if it intended to fit them with nuclear warheads.

"It's pretty certain the North Koreans would not be developing these unless they were intended for weapons of mass destruction warheads, and the nuclear warhead is far and away the most potent of those," he told Reuters.

Then this from Janes:

Non-subsciber abstract:

http://www.janes.com/defence/news/jdw/jdw040802_1_n.shtml

02 August 2004

North Korea deploy new missiles

By Joseph S Bermudez JDW Special Correspondent Colorado

Emerging reports indicate that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea - DPRK) is developing-- and is in the process of deploying--at least two new ballistic missile systems.

The first is a land-based road-mobile medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM)/intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) with an estimated range of 2,500-4,000km. The second is a companion submarine or ship-mounted ballistic missile system with a range of at least 2,500km. Both systems appear to be based on the decommissioned Soviet R-27 (NATO: SS-N-6) submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM).
The R-27 is a single-stage, liquid-propellant SLBM that became operational in the Soviet Navy during 1968. It weighs 14,200kg and is 9.65m in length, with a diameter of 1.5m and a range of 2,500km. The original version carried a single nuclear re-entry vehicle (RV), while the later R-27U carried three RVs, each with a 200kT payload.

It is believed that the R-27 technology originated with personnel from the VP Makeyev Design Bureau in Miass, Chelyabinsk. A group of 20 missile specialists from the bureau was detained in December 1992 as they were attempting to depart for the DPRK.

What made this incident so significant was that this design bureau specialised in the design of Soviet SLBMs and had developed the R-27. Publicly, the specialists only stated that they had been recruited to assist the DPRK in developing a space launch vehicle, codenamed Zyb. It is unclear whether the initial technology acquisitions were government sanctioned. However, the detained missile specialists had reportedly received approval for their travel to the DPRK from the Ministry of General Machine Building and the Ministry of Security of the Russian Federation. Reports indicate that other groups of missile specialists successfully travelled to the DPRK.

The R-27 was an excellent choice upon which the DPRK could build a new system. The liquid-fuelled missile features 40-year-old technology and is well within the level of skill and industrialisation of the DPRK. More significantly, the R-27 engine was designed by the Isayev Design Bureau, which had also developed the 9D21 engine. This was being produced by the DPRK for its Hwasong 5/6 (Scud B/C) and, in a modified form, for the No-dong. The R-27 also represents a proven system that the DPRK would be able to develop and deploy without having to conduct a significant test and evaluation programme.

The Guardian has more:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/korea/article/0,2763,1275587,00.html

 

[Annie]

Not a real surprise that the Russians are mentioned. This is something that definitely needs to be dealt with!

Agreed. Comrade has been posting alot on NK, as has Jihadthis. Definately a problem, with no easy solutions.

 

[Scorio]

what are they thinking cant we all just get along?

 

[freeandfun1]

And the left loves to say we don't need a missile defense system!

NK has and will continue to export missile technology to other nations. They need to be dealt with, but the question, frankly, is "how"? They are not an isolated country. The sit smack dab between Japan and China and just north of Seoul. Such a precarious location. I really believe that the best way to deal with the north is for us to bribe those that will take it to come to our side and assassinate the ones that won't.

 

[Comrade]

Agreed. Comrade has been posting alot on NK, as has Jihadthis. Definately a problem, with no easy solutions.

Comrade in Seattle is not for being vaporized!

Save me people! If not for me, do it for the monkey.