[lbo-talk] North Korea's missile programme

uvj at vsnl.com uvj at vsnl.com
Sat Jun 17 16:34:21 PDT 2006


BBC News http://www.bbc.co.uk/

Last Updated: Friday, 16 June 2006

North Korea's missile programme http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/2564241.stm#here

North Korea is believed to have more than 800 ballistic missiles, as well as untested long-range missiles which could potentially strike the US. The BBC News website looks at Pyongyang's missile programme, which has mainly been developed from the Scud missile.

[North Korea's test launches have triggered international alarm]

North Korea first obtained tactical missiles from the Soviet Union, as early as 1969, but its first Scuds reportedly came via Egypt in 1976.

Egypt is believed to have supplied North Korea with Scud-B missiles and designs in return for its support against Israel in the Yom Kippur War.

[Click here to see a diagram of a Scud missile]

By 1984, North Korea was building its own Scud-Bs and developed two new versions, the Scud-C and Scud-D. It has since developed a medium-range missile, the Nodong, and a long-range missile based on Scud technology, the Taepodong-1.

North Korea is now believed to be working on modifications of the Taepodong, including the Taepodong-2, which could have a range of up to 6,000km (3,500 miles).

SHORT-RANGE MISSILES

North Korea has a variety of short-range missiles. The KN-02 is thought to be the most accurate, but its range - around 100km - is the shortest.

Scuds B and C have ranges of 300 and 500km respectively, while Scud D is believed to have a range of 700km. It is thought that these missiles could deliver conventional warheads.

Scuds B, C and D have all been tested and deployed. These missiles would enable North Korea to strike any area in South Korea.

The KN-02 missile, currently in the testing stage, could be aimed at key targets in South Korea such as military installations south of the border.

NODONG MISSILE

The Nodong missile is thought to have a range of around 1,000km and could potentially carry a nuclear warhead.

But it is not accurate - a report by the US Center for Nonproliferation Studies said it had a circular error probable of 2-4km, meaning that half of the missiles fired would fall outside a circle of that radius.

The Nodong could strike most of Japan but not with any accuracy. If it were fired on a military target, its inaccuracy could lead to high levels of civilian casualties.

The missile was test fired in May 1993.

TAEPODONG-1 MISSILE

The Taepodong-1 is currently North Korea's longest-range missile. It is a two-stage missile comprising Nodong and Scud parts and can reach a distance of 2,200km, but it is said to be even less accurate than Nodong.

North Korea tested the Taepodong-1 in August 1998, firing a missile over northern Japan. It brings US bases on Okinawa within North Korea's reach.

But the missile must be fired from a fixed location and has a long preparation time, meaning that potential launches could be detected.

A land-based missile, the Taepodong-X, is also said to be under development but has not yet been tested.

Based on a Soviet submarine-launched ballistic missile, it is thought to have a range of up to 4,000km, reaching US bases on Guam. Unlike the Taepodong-1, it could be fired from mobile launch systems hidden from view.

TAEPODONG-2 MISSILE

The Taepodong-2 long-range missile is currently thought to be under development.

It is estimated that the Taepodong-2 would have a range of between 5,000 and 6,000km, putting Alaska, Hawaii and parts of the west coast of the US within range.

However, it is not thought that the missile would be particularly accurate or that it could carry a large warhead. Like the Taepodong-1, it requires a fixed launch site.



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