North Korea Weapons | |||
| MISSILES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Air-to-Air | Air-to-Surface | ||
|
MR-AAM SR-AAM | |||
| Surface-to-Surface | Surface-to-Air | ||
|
ATGM Anti-Tank Bulsae-2 Bulsae-3 Bulsae-4 MRL Multiple Rocket KN-25 450mm KN-09 300mm M-1991 240mm M-1985 240mm M-1985 122mm BM-11 122mm Type-63 107mm |
KN-06 KN-30 M-2020 SAM Radar | ||
| GROUND COMBAT | |||
| Tanks | Armored Vehicles | ||
|
M-2020 MBT M-2002 P'okpoong-ho Ch'onma-ho Type 82 / PT-85 |
M-1992 M-1973 VTT-323 Type 85 ATGM |
||
| Artillery | Anti-Aircraft | ||
|
M-1989 170mm SP M-1978 170mm SP M-1985 152mm SP M-1974 152mm SP M-1992 130mm SP M-1975 130mm SP M-1991 122mm SP M-1981 122mm SP M-1977 122mm SP M-1992 120mm SP |
M-1992 30mm SPAAG M-1990 30mm AAA M-1983 14.5mm SPAAG 57mm SPAAG 57mm AAA 37mm SPAAG | ||
| Tactical Rockets | |
| KN-01 | SS-N-1- Styx |
| KN-02 | SS-21 Scarab |
| KN-03 ?? | ?? Hwasong-5 / Scud-B |
| KN-04 ?? | ?? Hwasong-6 / Scud-C |
| KN-05 ?? | |
| KN-06 | SAM [S-300 / FT-2000] |
| KN-07 ?? | |
| KN-08 | Hwasong-13 |
| KN-09 | 300-mm Artillery Rocket |
| KN-24 | 600-mm Artillery Rocket |
| KN-25 | 450-mm Artillery Rocket |
|
The "KN" [Korea, North] missile designation system is of South Korean origin applied to missiles of North Korean origin. Some of these missiles are well attested under this designation system, though there are many missing pieces, and no small confusion. | |
DPRK Air-to-Air Missiles
North Korea’s Soviet-supplied air to air missiles are approaching 40 years of age, making further life extension more difficult and thus increasing the urgency of developing indigenous replacements. North Korea’s frontline fighters currently deploy only outdated Soviet-supplied air to air missiles, relying for short ranged engagements on the infrared guided R-60 which lacks high off boresight capabilities – the ability to engage targets at extreme angles using helmet mounted sights. Its only beyond visual range anti aircraft missiles are the modest R-23/24 used by its MiG-23 fighters, and the more capable but still ageing R-27 used by its MiG-29s.
Air-to-air missiles are designed to be launched by military aircraft to engage other aircraft within a relatively short range. They are usually powered by rocket engines and armed with an explosive warhead. Examples of short-range air-to-air missiles include the AIM-9 Sidewinder used by the United States and many other countries, the R-73 (AA-11 Archer) used by Russia, and the PL-9 used by China. Missiles with infrared guidance such as ASRAAM (Advanced Short Range Air to Air Missile) and AIM-9X Sidewinder have become more sophisticated and resultantly more precise and lethal with the advancement of microelectronics.
Short-range air-to-air missiles have a short range, typically up to 50 km (approximately 30 miles). The actual range can vary depending on the specific missile and launch conditions. Most modern short-range air-to-air missiles use advanced guidance systems to track their targets. This often involves a combination of radar, infrared, and other sensor technologies to locate, identify, and follow the target aircraft. This is often referred to as "fire-and-forget" because the missile does not require further guidance after launch.
Because they are designed to engage fast and agile enemy aircraft, short-range air-to-air missiles are usually highly maneuverable. They often have control fins or other systems that allow them to adjust their flight path in response to evasive maneuvers by the target. These missiles typically carry a high-explosive warhead that is designed to damage or destroy the target aircraft. Some use a proximity fuse to detonate the warhead when the missile gets close to the target, while others may use an impact fuse that triggers the explosion on contact.
Medium-range air-to-air missiles (MRAAM) are designed to be launched by aircraft to engage other aircraft at greater distances than short-range air-to-air missiles. Examples of medium-range air-to-air missiles include the AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) used by the United States and many of its allies, the Russian R-27 (AA-10 Alamo), and the Chinese PL-12.
Medium-range air-to-air missiles typically have a range of up to 100 kilometers (around 60 miles), although exact ranges can vary depending on the specific missile and launch conditions. These missiles often use sophisticated guidance systems. The most common guidance system for MRAAMs is active radar homing, in which the missile uses a radar transmitter to locate and track its target. Some of these systems are "fire-and-forget," meaning they can guide themselves to the target without input from the launching aircraft after launch. Others might use semi-active radar homing where the missile relies on the launch aircraft to illuminate the target with a radar signal and then homes in on the reflected energy.
Medium-range air-to-air missiles are designed to be highly maneuverable, often employing thrust vectoring technology. The advanced technology and systems used in these missiles help them to adjust their flight path to deal with evasive maneuvers of the enemy aircraft. These missiles usually carry a high-explosive warhead and use a proximity fuse to detonate the warhead when the missile gets close to the target. The explosion creates a lethal cloud of fragments that can severely damage or destroy the target aircraft.
The country has been unable to obtain fighters for abroad since the 1990s due to Western political pressure on potential suppliers, with a Western drafted UN resolution in 2006 imposing an arms embargo which further limited options for imports leaving it reliant on an ageing and primarily Soviet-supplied fleet.
Significant successes in developing air defence systems could pave the way to developing radar guided air to air missiles with many of the technological hurdles being common to both air launched and ground launched anti aircraft missiles. The capabilities of North Korea’s new surface to air missiles thus set a strong precedent for air to air missiles also being far more advanced than the country’s Soviet-supplied hardware.
The Korean People’s Army Air Force expected to receive two sophisticated new air to air missiles to equip its existing fighter fleet as part of ongoing modernisation efforts – according to A.B.Abrams. The National Defence Development Exhibition Self Defence 2021 in October 2021 included a display of “a new infrared guided missile loosely resembling the British AIM-132 and Chinese PL-10,” as well as what appeared to be “a beyond-visual-range radar guided” air to air missile in the background.
South Korea has achieved superiority in airpower sufficient to compensate for the North's advantage of a larger ground force with a substantial edge in mobility and firepower. When Soviet support such as modern ground and air force equipment ceased, P'yongyang's overall advantages in the military balance between the two Koreas decreased considerably. Seoul not only acquired more aircraft than the North, but also procured higher quality fighters as well. Soviet and Chinese fighters were no match for the aircraft of US design the South was importing and coproducing. Seoul's aircraft were equipped with better weapons, and superior training and tactics added to the South's qualitative advantage an advantage that gave Seoul a substan-tial edge in airpower.
Although P'yongyang remained dependent on outside suppliers for modern aircraft, it is establishing an indigenous production capability forjet fighters. As with domestic fighter production, North Korea appeared intent on indigenous development of a system for air launching cruise missiles against ships.
Both Moscow and Beijing had supplied Styx missiles to P'yongyang in the past, but North Korea probably had produced these missiles for several years. The North Koreans probably were attempting to copy Chinese efforts to convert the surface-to-surface Styx to an air-to-surface missile (ASM). China had been evaluating this concept for years. The weapon weighs about 2.3 tons.
Soviet-designed Styx antiship missiles had been seen since July 1985 at the bomber base at Uiju near the China border in north-western North Korea. The subsonic Styx missiles were usually deployed on North Korean patrol boats or frigates, or at coastal defense sites, but Uiju is too far inland for coastal defense, and no naval facilities are nearby. North Korea had 70 IL-28 bombers that came from the USSR and China from the 1950s through the early 1970s.
Successful development of an ASM-equipped IL-28 would enhance North Korea's antiship capability, which is now limited principally to missiles and guns in coastal defense sites, ships and boats with a missile-firing range of 46 km, and diesel-attack submarines with torpedoes. The IL-28's maximum combat radius of 1,000 km would be reduced by the externally mounted Styx. It was not known, however, how much it would be reduced because the Styx had never been used on an IL-28, and it was not known if the missile will be mounted on the wings or under the fuselage. Although the IL-28 is old, slow, and vulnerable, the Styx could provide a standoff weapon that could be launched outside the effective range of most then-current shipborne missiles.
On 09 October 2008 Yonhap reported that the North had fired two short-range missiles earlier this week. Yonhap's source said the North appeared to have used an AN-2 aircraft, but others argued against the account. "It is just technically not possible for the small AN-2 to lift off while carrying 2-ton missiles and to fire them in air," an Air Force official said, asking not to be identified. The official believed the North could have instead used IL-28 jet bombers.
On 16 November 2011 Yonhap reported that "In October and earlier this month, North Korea flew its IL-28 bomber to test anti-ship missiles in the Yellow Sea waters," the source said, adding that the missiles are reportedly the modified versions of the North's Styx ground-to-ship missiles. "Should the North send IL-28s above the Northern Limit Line (NLL) and fire anti-ship missiles, they will present major threats to our patrol ships and destroyers operating south of the line," the source said. The NLL serves as a de facto maritime border between the Koreas. "The South Korean military is bolstering its air defense from the ground and from vessels."
AGP-250 glide bomb
North Korean AGP-250 glide bombs were paraded in August 2022 by Sudan (where they're known as Burkan). Looks like a French SAMP 250 Iron bomb with a set of wings attached. A glide bomb or stand-off bomb is a type of bomb that is designed to glide towards its target to increase its effective range, allowing it to be launched from a distance that keeps the launch platform out of danger. This can be a great advantage in combat situations, as it reduces the risk to the personnel or equipment launching the bomb. A glide-bomb consists of body filled with explosive, stabilizer, block of apparatuses for laying, initiation block and electric energy sources, fins, mechanism for fin control, and system for target homing.
Glide bombs are typically equipped with some form of guidance system. This can range from relatively simple systems that merely guide the bomb along a preset trajectory, to sophisticated systems that can adjust the bomb's course in flight to hit moving targets. The guidance system can use a variety of methods to track its target, including radar, infrared, or laser targeting.
Until recently, most bombs were of the unguided, gravity type. The bomb was aimed by the motion of the aircraft on which it was carried and which flew approximately over the target. The bomb was released from a location on the flight path estimated to cause the bomb to fall onto its target. After the bomb was dropped there was no control over its motion. The result was that the aircraft was exposed to defensive measures over the target for an extended period of time in a flight path that was required to be straight and level, and the accuracy of the bombing was always somewhat problematic.
Recent developments improved upon this type of earlier munition in important ways. Wings were affixed to the bomb so that it could be dropped at a distance from the target of many miles and would glide to its target. The bomber aircraft consequently had far less exposure to defensive measures. The glide bomb was also provided with movable control surfaces and a guidance system, typically based upon cooperation with a laser designator, an inertial navigation system, or the global positioning system. The guidance capability greatly improved the accuracy of the bombing and reduced collateral damage.
The flight distance of a glide bomb depends upon several factors, one of which is the length of the wings. Long, slender wings result in long glide distances. However, long, slender wings take up a great deal of space in the bomb deployment racks on the launching aircraft. It has therefore become an established practice to fold the wings to a folded position along the fuselage of the glide bomb for storage, and then to pivot the wings to an open, deployed position when the bomb is dropped.
The winged vehicle includes an elongated fuselage, and a wing mechanism affixed to the fuselage. The wing mechanism has a wing-support-body track affixed to and extending lengthwise along the fuselage, a translating wing-support body engaged to and translatable along the wing-support-body track, and exactly two deployable cantilevered wings. Each deployable cantilevered wing has a wing pivot mounted to the translating wing-support body so that the deployable cantilevered wing is pivotable about the translating wing-support body. The two deployable cantilevered wings are each pivotable between a stowed position and a deployed position. An actuation mechanism is operable to controllably move the translating wing-support body along the wing-support-body track and to controllably move the two deployable cantilevered wings between the stowed position and the deployed position.
Significantly, there are exactly two deployable cantilevered wings. That is, both (i.e., all) of the deployable cantilevered wings are mounted to the wing-support body in a cantilevered fashion. There are no struts or other external bracing (sometimes called “aft wings”, depending upon their surface area) that deploy along with the deployable primary wings. Such struts add weight and drag without providing a corresponding benefit in added lift. Additionally, such struts typically do not have their pivot points on the wing-support body, so that their center of lift does not move in the same manner as does the center of lift of the deployable wings.
The fuselage has a nose and a tail, and the first position of the wing-support body is closer to the nose than is the second position. That is, as the deployable cantilevered wings deploy, the wing-support body slides rearwardly along the wing-support-body track. When the deployable cantilevered wings are folded to their stowed position, they lie along or near to the fuselage. Because the wing-support body is in its forward-most first position, there is sufficient length along the fuselage for the deployable cantilevered wings to be long yet not extend beyond the tail of the fuselage and not be interfered with by other structures.
Glide bombs were first used in World War II, but they have evolved significantly since then. Today, glide bombs are an important part of many military forces' arsenals. They are commonly used in modern warfare due to their precision and the ability to avoid enemy air defenses. It's also worth noting that glide bombs are different from cruise missiles. Although both glide bombs and cruise missiles are designed to be launched from a distance, cruise missiles are self-propelled and can fly for much longer distances than glide bombs. In contrast, a glide bomb uses its initial momentum and aerodynamics to reach its target, without any additional propulsion after launch.
KN-01 GLCM STORMPETREL
KN-05 ALCM
Ankit Panda’s book "Kim Jong Un and the Bomb" reports the KN-05 as a “publicly unseen” air-launched cruise missile (ALCM). Possibly the DPRK’s only flight-tested ALCM. the KN-05 is a modified Kh-35 anti-ship cruise missile, with the KN-01 STORMPETREL the ground-launched variant. Prior to Panda’s book, the presence of an air-launched variant of the Kh-35 in the DPRK was speculated, but never reported as fact.
The future X-35 missile of the first version has been developed at the Zvezda Design Bureau since the late seventies. In the mid-eighties, the product reached flight tests, but soon the pace of work fell. In our history , a long difficult period began, which did not favor the implementation of promising projects. Because of this, the deadlines for completing the X-35 project and putting the missile into service were constantly shifting. The helicopter version of the missile can be used from Ka-27 and Ka-28 helicopters, the aircraft version can be used from MiG-29K, MiG-29SMT, Su-30MK, Su-35, Yak-141 fighters, Su-24M front-line bomber, Tu anti-submarine aircraft -142M and other carriers.
In the Soviet and Russian projects of the X-35 family, both proven and new ideas were used. This made it possible to obtain an advantageous ratio of various characteristics and a number of important advantages. First of all, it is necessary to note the relative simplicity and cheapness. Due to an acceptable reduction in performance characteristics, it was possible to get a head start for mass production, deployment and use.
X-35 of all modifications is built in a cylindrical body with a radio-transparent nose fairing. Two X-shaped sets of planes are provided on the body. Anti-ship missiles for ships and coastal complexes are also equipped with a starting engine in a drop case. Rocket diameter - 420 mm, wingspan - 1.33 m. Length with starting engine - 4.4 m, without it - 3.85 m. Starting weight - up to 610 kg, depending on configuration.
The anti-ship missile is equipped with a small-sized turbojet engine located in the tail section of the hull. The air intake is located under the bottom. Such a power plant provides a flight speed of the order of 0.8 M. In the first modification of the Kh-35, it gave a flight range of up to 130 km. In the Kh-35U(E) project, a new reduced size engine and a reconfigured fuel tank were used. A larger amount of fuel and its lower consumption made it possible to bring the range up to 260 km.
In the mid-nineties, against the backdrop of ongoing tests in the interests of the Russian Navy, the Indian Navy became interested in the new anti-ship missiles. Soon a contract appeared for the supply of serial export missiles. This order supported the manufacturers and helped them continue work on the original rocket. However, there was no significant acceleration of the project.
All activities for the refinement, refinement and testing of the promising X-35 were completed only at the beginning of the 2000s. In 2003, the missile entered service with the Russian fleet as part of the Uran ship complex. In 2004, the Bal coastal complex was accepted. A few years later, a modernized Kh-35U missile with improved performance and an expanded range of carriers was presented. Later, this product also entered service.
The Bal complex is equipped with X-35U subsonic cruise missiles and is designed to hit enemy ships. The Russians claim that as a result of the modernization carried out in 2021, they allegedly managed to increase the firing range of the Kh-35U from 260 to 500 kilometers. shooting down the X-35U missile, in addition to speed, complicates the size of the missile - 4.4 meters. For comparison, the length of the Kh-101 hull is 7.45 meters, the Kh-555 is 6.4 meters, the 3M14 Caliber missile is approximately 6.2 meters. Therefore, its scattering area is smaller.
Also, the X-35U missile is difficult to detect and shoot down, since it flies very low - 10-15 meters above the ground. The rocket is designed to fly over water, and in this way it is pressed lower to the ground. In addition, Kh-35U missiles are used from air-based aircraft and helicopters. At the same time, unlike ballistics, the Kh-35 missile uses a flat flight path. Russian propagandists in 2021 spoke at first about 500 kilometers, but then they announced a range of "up to 300 kilometers."
The Kh-35 missile has a built-in navigation system that allows it to independently adjust its flight path. It can fly in a straight line to its destination or perform maneuvers depending on the tactical situation and programming. There is information in open sources about the mass of the Kh-35U warhead, which is approximately 145-150 kilograms.
https://24tv.ua/ru/raketa-h-35-iz-kompleksa-bal-dalnost-harakteristika-mozhet-li-pvo-ukrainy-ee-sbit-24-kanal_n2335151
Air-to-surface missiles (ASM) are designed to be launched from military aircraft to strike ground or naval targets. They are one of the primary weapons for strike and attack aircraft, enabling them to engage enemy targets from a safe distance. The KPAF possesses iported precision guided munitions such as Zvezda Strela Kh-25 (RS-AS-10 Karen) and the Vympel Kh-29L (RS-AS-14 Kedge) air to ground missiles along jamming pods such as SPS-141 for SAM suppression.
In 1985 the US Central Intelligence Ageny assessed that P'yongyang "... appears to be developing an air-to-surface missile for use in an anti-shipping role. North Korea probably is attempting to mimic Chinese efforts to convert the Styx surface-to-surface missile to an air-to-surface weapon."
There are various types of air-to-surface missiles:
- Anti-ship missiles, such as the American Harpoon, the French Exocet, or the Russian Kh-35, are designed to sink warships.
- Anti-tank guided missiles, like the American Hellfire or the Russian ATAKA-V, are used to destroy armored vehicles.
- Stand-off missiles, like the American AGM-158 JASSM (Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile) or the Russian Kh-101, are designed to be launched from outside the range of enemy air defenses.
The KN-19 Kumsong-3 (KN-SS-N-02 Stormpetrel) surface-launched medium range anti-ship missile may have been the focus of attempts to develop an air-launched variant.
Here are some key characteristics and types of air-to-surface missiles:
- Range: ASM can have a wide range of distances they can cover, from very short range to long range, depending on the specific missile and launch conditions. Some long-range ASM can travel hundreds of kilometers.
- Guidance systems: ASMs often use sophisticated guidance systems. This can include GPS guidance for hitting fixed targets, laser guidance for precise strikes, infrared homing for heat-producing targets, or active radar homing for naval targets. Some advanced ASM may use a combination of these systems.
- Warheads: ASM typically carry a high-explosive warhead designed to damage or destroy the target. The nature of the warhead can vary widely, from general-purpose high explosive to armor-piercing, bunker-busting, or even nuclear warheads in certain cases.
- Launch platforms: Air-to-surface missiles can be launched from a variety of aircraft, including fighter jets, bombers, attack helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Overall, air-to-surface missiles provide a significant part of the offensive capabilities of modern air forces, allowing them to engage a wide range of ground and naval targets with high precision and from safe distances.
The Defense Special Missile and Astronautics Center (DEFSMAC) Code number is given to missiles launched by North Korea. KN is an inverted acronym for North Korea, and the North Korean projectiles under development are numbered in the order they are identified by US intelligence. American experts use the expression KN Number. It is similar to NATO code names. The convention of KN codes is that numbers are added in order of identification. In March 2020, the US requested the South Korean military to treat the KN code as a military secret. The United States is reluctant to disclose the KN code, and the Defense White Paper of the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Korea discarded the numbering in two years and marks it in accordance with similar weapon types.
In addition, North Korea uses '-hyeong' notation, which is awkward for Korean speakers, so it is rewritten as '-ho'. In addition to this, problems with Romanization of Hwasong, Hwaseong, etc. , and HS, PS, and TD, which researchers simply abbreviate. The confusion of the notation is further aggravated when sometimes the problem is solved by giving different marks together. In particular, in the case of 'Labor, Musudan', which have been used in the media since before, they are more familiar than 'Hwaseong-7 and Hwaseong-10', respectively.
The 'official release name' takes precedence. Missiles with official names announced by North Korea ( Hwasong-10 , Hwasong-8 ), missiles whose official names were exposed at events ( Hwasong-7 , Hwasong-11B ), and official names cross-verified by testimonies of North Korean defectors and tourists (Hwasong-8 ) -5·6 ) takes precedence over the designation of the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Korea. For projectiles assigned a KN code, the KN code takes precedence over the designation of the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Korea. This is because the KN code is a name given by the United States and used in the ROK-US Combined Forces, and is more versatile.
\\ North Korean state TV aired the military parade held the night of 27 July 2023 to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the Korean War. The initial footage showed the DPRK’s new combat drones conducting flyovers of Kim Il Sung Square.
600mm 'super-large' MLRS https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804184315560.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt http://www.hisutton.com/North-Korea-Nuclear-Torpedo-Drone.html 'Haeil' underwater drones New Covert Shores article on #NorthKorea ginormous drone-torpedo. I estimate it is about 16 meters long, w This places it in the same ballpark as the Poseidon but still significantly shorter and likely slightly smaller in diameter. https://tvd.im/ On 26 December 2022 South Korea launched fighter jets in response to North Korean drones crossing the military demarcation line. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of North Korea at about 10.25 local time (04.25 Moscow time) allegedly crossed the border with the Republic of Korea (RK) in the border areas of the South Korean province of Gyeonggi-do. This was reported on 26 December 2022, by the Yonhap agency, citing the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the South Korean Armed Forces. Drones crossed the military demarcation line separating the two Koreas and were spotted in Paju, Gimpo, and Ganghwa Island, causing civilian flights to be temporarily suspended at Seoul airports. South Korea has issued warnings, fired warning shots, launched fighter jets, attack helicopters, and military aircraft. The South Korean military also deployed the KA-1 light attack aircraft developed by Korea Aerospace Industries for the Republic of Korea Air Force. However, it crashed in Hwenseong County, Gangwon Province, about 140 kilometers east of Seoul. Both pilots ejected and escaped. Drones are a growing concern in Seoul as they can be used for both reconnaissance missions and potential attacks.
The delegation of the Russian Defense Ministry visited the DPRK on the occasion of the celebrations dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Korean people in the liberation war of 1950-1953. The head of the DPRK, Kim Jong-un, during a visit to the ongoing arms exhibition in Pyongyang, showed Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu new North Korean unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which are outwardly similar to American ones, as follows from photographs of the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The pictures show that the North Korean leader and the head of the Russian Ministry of Defense inspected the latest DPRK weapons, and samples of two drones attracted special attention. One of the drones has an external resemblance to the American RQ-4 Global Hawk reconnaissance UAV, and the second resembles the US MQ-9 Reaper strike and reconnaissance drone.
Nova-4 Xinxing-4 / Nova-4 is North Korea 's strategic unmanned reconnaissance aircraft. Development History In July 2023, according to the full video of the military parade released by North Korean Central Television, a large drone appeared in the sky over Pyongyang, kicking off the prelude to the military parade. North Korea also disclosed the name of this drone for the first time: North Korea's "New Star-4" unmanned reconnaissance drone looks exactly like the US "Global Hawk".
North Korean Drones
Since the 1990s, the North Korean army has begun to develop and design its own drones. According to the predictions and reports of Western media, at present, the North Korean army is equipped with more than 700 drones of various types, which are divided into small drones, medium drones and large drones.Among them, small drones are the main force, with the characteristics of simple technology, low cost, and single function. They mainly perform reconnaissance missions and simple attack missions. There are several types of small drones deployed by the North Korean military. On the Russian-Ukrainian battlefield, drones shine. In the next period of time, the North Korean army will definitely further increase investment in the development and design of drones.
At the military parade held by North Korea on April 15, 2012, the blue-painted vehicle-mounted drone was disclosed to the public for the first time. From the appearance point of view, the aerodynamic layout and size of this drone are very similar to the American MQM-107 target drone, and it is very likely to be an imitation or an upgraded version. North Korea has obtained the American MQM-107 target drone through various channels. The range of these drones has been greatly enhanced, and they can attack any target 400 kilometers south of the 38th parallel, which is a strong enemy of the South Korean air defense force.
In terms of large drones, the North Korean army is equipped with the Tu-143 drone developed during the Soviet era. Tu 143 has a launch weight of 1.23 tons, a fuel capacity of 190 liters, and an effective range of 180 kilometers. The minimum flight altitude is 100 meters, the maximum ceiling is 3000 meters, and the activity radius is 95 kilometers. This kind of UAV is mainly responsible for reconnaissance tasks. Due to its limited range, there is a big gap with the new generation of large UAVs launched by various countries after the 21st century.
The North Korean army lacked long-endurance reconnaissance and strike drones and other drones for various purposes. In the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, as well as in the 2022 Russo-Ukraine war, various types of drones were used, especially the long-endurance surveillance drones. It had the characteristics of long-term air control patrols and strikes when found, which is impossible for armed helicopters and multi-purpose fighter jets.
On the Russian-Ukrainian battlefield, both sides invested a large number of drones. For example, Russia has imported a large number of drones from Iran, commonly known as "Iranian motorcycles." In response, the Ukrainian army has equipped a large number of Turkish TB2 drones. This standard long-endurance surveillance and strike integrated drone has made the Russian ground forces exhausted.
For the North Korean army, there is an urgent need for a long-endurance surveillance and strike drone similar to the TB2 type. It is not realistic to import directly from Turkey. First, Turkey will most likely not sell it. Second, North Korea has limited procurement funds and cannot import in large quantities. For such a situation, the Rainbow 4 UAV equipped by the PLA Army may be of interest.
China's Rainbow 4 series drones are also surveillance drones, which are divided into two models: Rainbow 4A and Rainbow 4B. Rainbow 4A has a maximum air control time of 30 hours, surpassing Turkey's TB2 drone. The maximum air control time of Rainbow 4B is 15 hours, this is because the two models have different emphases. According to reports, the Rainbow 4 series UAVs have a maximum range of more than 4,500 kilometers, and they also have long-distance long-distance reconnaissance and strike capabilities.
In June 2023 an American commercial satellite company released a new set of satellite images. The images showed at least one large drone with a wingspan of more than 20 meters parked at a North Korean air base. At that time, this report aroused many doubts. Many analysts believed that North Korea did not have the ability to develop such drones.
On 27 July 2023, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, who was visiting North Korea, accompanied by Kim Jong-un, visited the "Weapon and Equipment Expo-2023" held by the Ministry of National Defense of North Korea on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Fatherland Liberation War. In the report of the visit, at least two large UAVs appeared, one is a long-endurance propeller UAV similar to the MQ-9 "Reaper", and the other is a large UAV similar to the RQ-4 "Global Hawk". Jet drone. "NK News", which specializes in reporting news on the Korean peninsula, commented that North Korea sent a signal in this way, indicating that the country is realizing the capability of "combat and reconnaissance" drones.
Daniel Pinkston, a lecturer in international relations at Troy University in the United States, said the new drones could help North Korea strengthen its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, which are the "weak link" of the weapons systems it has developed in recent years ", Pinkston also said, "If these drones are deployed near the southern demilitarized zone in North Korea, then they will have the opportunity to collect a lot of intelligence data from South Korea."
Hwasong-12Na (Hwasong-12B), a missile equipped with a hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV). According to the documentary released by the North Korean side, the North Korean version of the "Global Hawk" has actually been officially listed in the Korean People's Army and has already made its first flight. It can be seen that this aircraft is not a "model toy" but a real drone However, this unmanned aerial vehicle is not equipped with weapons. It is likely to be similar to the US "Global Hawk" strategic unmanned reconnaissance aircraft, and it is also a large strategic unmanned reconnaissance aircraft built by the North Korean Air Force.
How did the North Korean drone technology come about? As a country with obvious shortcomings in the aviation industry and even inferior to Iran, it stands to reason that North Korea should not Capable of developing advanced drones. It is said to be based on the wreckage of the "Global Hawk" shot down by Iran, and the body and equipment are relatively well preserved.
In fact, North Korea's drone development is likely to have received help from other countries, otherwise North Korea would not have the ability to develop its own. The most likely of these is Iran. Iran has seized a variety of advanced UAVs from the United States and obtained some technologies. A U.S.-made "Global Hawk" strategic reconnaissance plane, and seized all the wreckage. Photos of the wreckage were subsequently circulated on the Internet, which can be said to be relatively intact.
Iran and North Korea have a close military cooperation relationship. Iran's missile technology development cannot be separated from the North Korean help. Russia, and North Korea's ability to develop these two drones this time must be inseparable from Iran's technical assistance.
Although the DPRK version of the "Global Hawk" and "Predator" UAVs can be very similar to the U.S.-made UAVs in appearance, in terms of aircraft performance, North Korea's UAVs are not as good as the U.S. military. There is a huge difference, especially in the aircraft's engines, data links, radars, electronic systems, and reconnaissance equipment. Neither North Korea nor Iran can develop more advanced subsystems. So it goes without saying that the combat capability must be greatly reduced. Whether it is the drone's situational awareness or strike capability, it must not be much better.
This may also be the reason why the North Korean side specially placed the "Global Hawk" drone in the most prominent position at the weapons exhibition welcoming Shoigu, and exhibited the "Predator" drone at the military parade for Shoigu to observe. Since North Korea can develop a platform for large-scale drones, it currently lacks advanced subsystems for drones, such as aircraft engine flight control systems, etc. At this point, it may seek help from Russia. Human-machine research and development capabilities are not as good as those of China and the United States, but they completely crush North Korea. Therefore, if Russia can provide advanced equipment and continue to jointly develop these two potential military drones with North Korea, everyone will be happy. Both North Korea and Russia can order and equip a large number of drones for deployment, and the Russian army will also solve the problem. The problem of the lack of large drone platforms.
All in all, North Korea's ability to develop this type of advanced drone under the complete blockade of the Western world is undoubtedly of milestone significance, and it also highlights the rapid development of North Korea's domestic weapons and equipment in recent years.
The development of the next corps-class drone modeled after the Gray Eagle, the latest unmanned reconnaissance attack aircraft in the United States, is in a similar situation. The follow-up process was suspended when the Board of Audit and Inspection initiated an audit in May 2022, when the development of the two drones was almost finished. After about a year of auditing, the Board of Audit and Inspection pointed out defects such as wind direction and landing instability when wind speed suddenly changed, and abnormal icing control due to altitude ascent, and decided to discipline five researchers.
The Agency for Defense Development immediately raised an objection, and a reexamination was underway. A high-ranking military official stated "The matter pointed out by the Board of Audit and Inspection is not about the performance of military operational requirements, and we cannot accept disciplinary demands because there is a solution." Since the development was funded by the national budget, drone audits have been conducted in this way several times before, and last year, eight key researchers in UAV development left the Defense Science Research Institute.
Development is successful only when trial and error and failure are repeated. When the Board of Audit and Inspection accumulates audit performance through trial and error and failure, a vicious cycle of low morale of researchers, suspension of research and development, and power vacuum appeared.
Western commercial satellites discovered a large UAV with a wingspan of up to 35 meters at an airport near Pyongyang, North Korea. Soon there was another UAV with a wingspan of 20 meters, which looked like a surveillance drone. Maybe it's another model created by North Korea, or a strategic deception. The machine, the Americans said, was a large-scale inspection and strike drone. Assuming that these pictures are real, then the wingspan of this UAV discovered later reached 20 meters, which is about the level of our Pterosaur 2 or the American MQ 9. If the UAV has a wingspan of 35 meters, it is at the same level as the strategic reconnaissance drone of the US R-Q4 Global Hawk.
The difficulty in manufacturing of large-scale drones is mainly in three aspects. The first is its special fuselage and special wing design. These two types of large-scale drones have an aerodynamic shape. This kind of flying is higher and farther, but it will fly slower, so you can see that the design of the wing is more difficult, and its engine system, optical and electronic systems are also more demanding.
The fuselage and wings use a lot of composite materials in the manufacturing process. Such a long wing usually does not use metal materials. This kind of slender wing design is very difficult in itself. It requires a good aerodynamic design level, and there must be complete experimental conditions behind it. Even if designed, such a wing requires various composites materials, the source and manufacturing process of these materials are another difficulty.
As for the engine, even if North Korea built such a large drone, it will not be widely used. Therefore, the economic performance and fuel consumption of the engine are very strict, and North Korea does not need it, so all it needs is a jet engine with enough power. Therefore, it is not yet certain what these two drones are all about, but we can see that drones will be used more and more by various countries, and it is likely to change future wars to a certain extent. It may even change the future military and international structure. That effect is worthy of attention. Iran Shipbuilding & Offshore Industries Complex Co (ISOICO) is reportedly converting two new tankers, formerly known as Tabukan and Mannan, to sea bases for the Iranian Navy in addition to the previous projects for IRGC Navy. https://twitter.com/mhmiranusa/status/1644978885467971584 1. Iranian new loitering munition named Meraj-532 made by IRGC ground forces self-sufficiency organization. Claimed Specifications: Ferry range: 450 km Service ceiling: 12000 ft Endurance: 3 hrs Warhead mass: 50 kg Launch from pickup truck (Toyota Tundra here) https://twitter.com/mhmiranusa/status/1638145845106278400 Correction: The IRGC name for the Iranian UAV known in Yemen as Samad-2 is actually Sayyad (not Sepehr which was reported before). Specifications: Service ceiling: 15000 ft Speed: 150 km/h Weight: 80 kgf Endurance: 8 hrs Operational radius: 200 km Oryx and 4 others Quote Tweet Mehdi H. @mhmiranusa · Mar 13 As the famous Iranian X UAV was lacking names (Samad-2, KAS-04, UAV-X, Shahed-X), IRGC Navy made a new name for it: Sepehr. Sepehr can reportedly loiter for 8 hours. https://twitter.com/mhmiranusa/status/1636037115891916800 Mehdi H. @mhmiranusa · Mar 15 Close photo of Iranian Heidar cruise missile which Iranian Army uses on Bel-214 helicopter and Kaman-22 UAV. Reported specifications: Length: 3.7 m Weight: 60 kgf Warhead weight: 13-25 kgf Dual CCD/IIR seeker Speed: 450-500 km/h Range: 200km US Defense officials announced 19 June 2019 that Iran shot down an unmanned Navy RQ-4 Global Hawk surveillance aircraft, escalating an already tense situation in the Strait of Hormuz. "U.S. Central Command can confirm that a U.S. Navy Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (or BAMS-D) ISR aircraft was shot down by an Iranian surface-to-air missile system while operating in international airspace over the Strait of Hormuz at approximately 11:35 p.m. GMT on June 19, 2019. Iranian reports that the aircraft was over Iran are false. This was an unprovoked attack on a U.S. surveillance asset in international airspace. The BAMS-D is a RQ-4A Global Hawk High-Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) and provides real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions (ISR) over vast ocean and coastal regions."
The remotely piloted aircraft was over the Strait of Hormuz and fell into international waters. "At the time of the intercept, the RQ-4 was operating at high altitude, approximately 34 kilometers from the nearest point of land on the Iranian coast. The drone was fished out of Iran’s territorial waters in the country’s Ra’as al-Shir area. While the target location of this UAV was located in the territorial waters of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Sea of Oman, which according to the available information, the average depth of this sea is 450 meters and in the areas near the Strait of Hormuz (Mount Mubarak area) its depth is more than 100 meters. It seemed almost impossible to reach the sensitive parts of the Triton , which was located in the depths of these waters.
But the high level of technology used in this drone and the benefits that achieving them provided to Iran; Daryadlan encouraged the IRGC Navy to retrieve its parts from the depths of the Oman Sea in any way possible, which alone is a remarkable achievement in terms of diving at a depth of more than 100 meters.
Less than 40 hours after the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force shot down an American spy drone over the territorial waters of Iran near the Strait of Hormuz, the IRGC put some retrieved debris of the US craft on display. On 08 February 2020, the IRGC showcased the full wreckage of the modern American spy drone which was shot down by the forces in southern Iran in June 2019. A small part of the drone’s wreckage had been put on display a day after the shooting down.
One of the most vital equipment of this aircraft, which was now in the possession of the IRGC Air Force, is the AE3007H turbofan engine. This model of air engines, of which more than 3400 aircraft have been produced so far and has recorded more than 23 million hours of safe flight, its various examples, in addition to being installed on the Global Hawk family of drones.
The landing gear of an aircraft including wheels, gears and suspension system is one of the most important and at the same time the most complex parts of an aircraft, the design and construction of which is particularly sensitive due to the various pressures on this part. One of the parts that seems to be intact in the recovery and collection of Triton drone parts is the part related to the landing gear and wheels of the drone.
Another valuable part of Triton, which is now in the possession of the IRGC Aerospace Force, is the advanced SAR radar of this drone, which according to the previous information about this drone, is of the AN/ZPY-3 type. Among the other parts obtained from this drone are several electronic control and processing units, including the supercomputer and the Triton main processor. Among the parts obtained from this UAV, we can mention the high voltage power supply, direct line link modem, electronic sensors unit, cargo management unit and satellite link modem.
The commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force considered the wreakage a "treasure" whose information can be exploited. In the past, the Air Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has practically shown that it will make the maximum possible use of what it gets as booty; So that this force's acquisition of trophy drones such as RQ-170 led to the production of various examples of combat drones, including Simorgh (real example), Shahid- 191, and Sa'eqah (60 % combat examples).
The exhibition of the achievements and capabilities of the IRGC Aerospace Force is permanent and titled "National Aerospace Park" in 2019. One part of the exhibition belongs to the display of drones. "The Zionist regime and the United States, in pursuit of spying and hitting the country's military systems, have repeatedly sent their drones to the sky of Iran for spying, but they were shot down by Iran's defense. A number of these drones are displayed in this exhibition. This section includes three captured American drones, the Zionist Hermes drone, the American MQ-9 drone, the Global Hawk electronic system, and the MQ plane."
The rank of the commander-in-chief of the North Korean Air Force is only equivalent to that of the army regiment commander. It can be seen that the status of the Korean Air Force is far inferior to that of the Army. This is also an important reason why the North Korean Air Force equipment has not been updated for a long time.
https://www.northkoreaintheworld.org/economic/total-merchandise-trade https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/special-resources/ponghwa-chemical-factory-north-koreas-chemical-facilities-site-profile-1 https://besacenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/156-Harnoch-and-Levkowitz-The-North-Korean-Air-Force-WEB.pdf">The North Korean Air Force: A Declining or Evolving Threat? https://www.nknews.org/2015/04/n-korea-manufacturing-own-light-aircraft/ https://beyondparallel.csis.org/a-small-mystery-solved-at-the-panghyon-aircraft-factory/ Panghyon Aircraft Factory, internally known as the 6 January Factory, North Korea cannot feed its population, but it has production lines running to produce tanks, artillery, aircraft, subs, surface ships, and missiles. Aircraft industry is practically the pinnacle of modern technological development. Modern military aircraft building is in some ways even more complicated than rocket science, and investments in it will not give the same return. Most of North Korea's fighter jets and helicopters are imported from Eastern Europe, Russia and China. An important reason for the decline of the North Korean Air Force is that North Korea does not have a complete aviation industry. Therefore, even if it has advanced fighter jets, its weak aviation industry foundation is not enough to complete the daily maintenance of these fighter jets.
Despite having limited capabilities for indigenous aircraft production, the KPAF has nonetheless assembled both rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft of foreign origin. North Korea's aircraft industry center is located in Banghyeon, a laborer's district in Gucheng City. In the 1980s, the factory produced MiG-15 and MiG-17 fighter parts, and at the same time began to produce Yak-18 primary trainer aircraft and An-2 (Y-5) light transport aircraft. In the 1990s, North Korea produced an improved An-2 and a local version of the Mi-2 helicopter, the Innovation-2, and modified the Il-28 light bomber to enable it to carry anti-ship cruise missiles.
Beginning in 1979, the DPRK began assembling the Polish variant of the Mi-2 helicopter. Using components and parts supplied by Poland, North Korean engineers assembled approximately 150 PZL-Swidnik light utility helicopters. Although primarily used for training and transport, some helicopters were armed with 57mm rocket tubes and a 23mm cannon.
The ubiquitous Antonov An-2 light transport aircraft is another example of the KPAF’s production efforts. Some of the aircraft are believed to have been modified to insert Special Operations Forces. Others are known to have been armed with air to ground rockets, possibly the same 57mm projectiles used by the armed Mi-2.
The most ambitious local production effort was the assembly of MiG-29 aircraft using “knocked down” parts. The KPAF established dedicated facilities near the Panghyon Air Base to support the arrival of the first aircraft in 1988. North Korea cooperated with Russia to establish a MiG-29 fighter assembly factory since the 1990s. From 1992 to 1993, North Korea assembled and produced two MiG-29s using parts imported from Russia. Some military experts pointed out that North Korea can assemble and produce the latest fighter jets, it shows that North Korea can produce advanced aircraft as long as it has spare parts. In 2001, a Russian expert familiar with North Korean affairs introduced that after 1993, North Korea assembled and produced 2-3 MiG-29s every year, and a total of 15 were assembled in the 1990s. By the time production ended in 1999, approximately 35 aircraft had been assembled.
In 2000, the DPRK authorities tried to establish the production of their own passenger aircraft, which would allow to increase the geography of flights, but the lack of resources and financial situation was such that this had to be postponed. However, the press now and then flashed news that aircraft designers from the DPRK were actively working on designing their own aircraft, which was inexpensive both in terms of operation and in terms of production. At the end of last year, in addition, a sequence of notes appeared that one of the aircraft was completely assembled and was now being tested, and a day ago, finally, the news appeared that the DPRK had put the production of light passenger aircraft on stream, moreover, the first flight was led by himself a North Korean favorite.
In 2017 news appeared that the DPRK authorities had launched the production of light civilian aircraft, and, if even last year it was considered nothing more than rumors, then the first records had already appeared that the new civilian aircraft of the DPRK would be able to rise into the atmosphere. Far from being industrially developed and not owning high developments, the DPRK began to independently supply itself with passenger aircraft, and it is quite possible that successful opportunities can come from this.
Many media have already begun to say that the new aircraft will be one of the greatest advances for the DPRK over the past 15-20 years, but the factor that the resources to North Korea are still missing, and, consequently, massive the production of aircraft is most likely the world will not notice. However, the possibility is not ruled out that a succession of Chinese airlines may be interested in purchasing North Korean light passenger aircraft due to their relative cheapness, and this already has much more progress. There is a conclusion that the possibility of creating civilian aircraft to North Korea seemed due to the reduction in costs for military purposes, but there is no official confirmation of this.
In essence, the DPRK had taken the first steps in the creation of civilian aircraft. Western news agencies have already managed to call the new aircraft an “unreliable vessel”, but one must take into account the fact that the technologies are invariably similar, in addition, most of the aircraft manufacturers from the DPRK were trained in Russian universities, which indicates that their knowledge is no worse than that of Russian aircraft manufacturers. In full, perhaps, in this plan there is a sequence of troubles with the release and design, but it is possible to test and upgrade aircraft without computer equipment, although this takes much more time.
The North Korean Air Force does not have AWACS, but has attempted to have one. In the 1990s, North Korea modified at least one An-24 twin-engine turboprop transport aircraft and installed a MiG-29 fighter radar, but it can only complete extremely basic tasks. The MiG-29 fighter jets of the North Korean Air Force are equipped with RP-29 pulse Doppler radar on the nose, with a detection range of 100 kilometers and a tracking distance of 70 kilometers. It can track 10 targets at the same time. However, there is also intelligence showing that the airborne radar of North Korea’s MiG-29K is Zook-M type, with a detection range of 130 kilometers, and can detect and track 20 targets at the same time.
DPRK AN-2
North Korea has modified the light transport aircraft An-2 so that it can complete various tasks such as collecting communication intelligence and electronic interference, and uses its excellent low-altitude and low-speed flight performance to disseminate chemical and biological weapons. North Korea has imported a small number of laser-guided bombs from Russia, and it is unclear whether North Korea can produce similar weapons.
According to the old, kind, but now preserved only in the DPRK tradition, the Youth, Women's and Children's Unions of the DPRK chipped in for four new aircraft for the native and beloved Korean People's Army. On 04 October 2019, 4 new An-2s in camouflage, with a large gathering of people, were solemnly handed over to the representatives of the command.
This short radio message "Voice of Korea" sounds almost like a slap in the face to Russia. North Korea, which is not rich and has been sitting under sanctions for many years, in essence, in a blockade, and at the same time competing with the United States in nuclear missile weapons, is producing new An-2s. And Russia was "wearing old ones" that were inherited from Soviet times. How many of them are still have left? It's not easy to say. Available data suggests that in 2017 there were 227 An-2 units in Russia fit for service. In addition to them, there are about a thousand more aircraft, which are already all, will not rise into the air.
There was a lot of talk and PR about the latest aircraft that were supposed to replace the An-2. Much has been said and written about the An-3, much has been said about the aircraft with the unpronounceable abbreviation TVS-2DTS, also known as the Baikal. There were plans to deploy its production at the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant from 2021. These plans were hacked to death by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, which abandoned this aircraft in favor of the project of the Ural Civil Aviation Plant: a monoplane with a VK-800 gas turbine engine. This is not a project yet, but only a design task.
The An-2 was widely produced in China under the designation Y-5. Sometimes they write that it is being produced at the moment, but I could not find confirmation of this. In any case, there are planes in China, newer and not as badly worn as ours, that can probably be bought. China is transitioning its regional aviation to newer and more modern aircraft, and will likely agree to sell some of its Y-5s.
The DPRK with its aircraft factory, which now produces An-2 aircraft, is becoming interesting for us. It is possible to consider the option when, on the terms of supplying materials (primarily aluminum alloys, which are not produced in the DPRK due to the lack of raw materials) and paying for work, the North Koreans will agree to produce spare parts, new engines, and possibly also new An-2 aircraft. For the sake of an order for a hundred or two aircraft for foreign currency, the North Korean aircraft plant will work at a Stakhanovite pace. Moreover, many machine-building enterprises in the DPRK are equipped with robots and digital machining centers of their own production. Probably, the aircraft factories were among the first to receive this equipment, and one can count on good workmanship.
It is worth starting with spare parts for the existing fleet, as well as the production of new aircraft of the previous modifications. If this goes well, then it will be possible then to think about some modernization of the An-2.
https://vladimirkrym.livejournal.com/15428012.html From 1968 to 1969, North Korea introduced shore-to-ship missiles SS-C-2b from the former Soviet Union, and established five launch positions along the coast of the East China Sea. In the early 1980s, North Korea assembled and produced China's Haiying-2 shore-to-ship missiles. In 1992, armored vehicles equipped with HY-2 appeared in the military parade held in Kim Il Sung Square. In 1994, North Korea improved the HY-2, and in the launch test conducted in the same year, the range reached 160 kilometers. In 1997, the launch test was carried out again, and the range of the missile reached almost 200 kilometers, which surprised the Western intelligence analysis agencies. The Western countries then renamed it "AG-1".
DPRK - Surface to Air Misiles
According to the Soviet-North Korea Mutual Defense Treaty signed in 1961, in order to defend Pyongyang, North Korea obtained several surface-to-air missiles from the former Soviet Union in 1962-1963, but then turned to China because of the deterioration of relations with the Soviet Union. In 1971, due to the improvement of relations between North Korea and the Soviet Union, North Korea began to import anti-aircraft missiles from the Soviet Union.
China began to provide North Korea with surface-to-air missile assembly, maintenance and upgrade technology in the mid-1970s. In the late 1970s, North Korea obtained Chinese-made Red Flag .2 surface-to-air missiles. North Korea began its ballistic missile development project in 1975, trying to develop ground-to-ground missiles based on the Red Flag-2, but failed. In 1979, it turned to improving the Magic Flag-2. In the mid-1980s, North Korea was able to send missiles to Iran and China. Egypt exports this type of missile.
In return for North Korea's assistance during the Middle East War in 1973, Egypt also provided North Korea with old Russian-made Arrow-2 portable air defense missiles in 1973, and North Korea began reverse design in the late 1970s. In the mid-1980s, North Korea imported a large number of Chinese imitation Arrow-2 HN-5A, and completed actual combat deployment. Afterwards, in the late 1980s, Arrow-3 and Needle-1 were imported from Russia for technical cooperation and production, and some of these missiles were exported to Cuba. In the mid-1990s, North Korea obtained several US-made Stinger anti-aircraft missiles through secret channels. After imitation, they are now equipped with ground troops.
The U.S. Forces Korea claims that in March and May 2004, North Korea fired lasers at U.S. Army AH-64 attack helicopters patrolling the DMZ. The laser is an ordinary laser for distance measurement, which has little destructive power and will not cause damage to the pilot's eyesight. In addition, there is unconfirmed news that North Korea’s ballistic missile orbit control system uses the latest laser guidance technology. After receiving information from Russian satellites, its built-in computer activates control nozzles or auxiliary wings to adjust the flight route.
Information warfare capability
Informatization, strengthen nuclear technology research, focus on the development of software, communication technology, nanotechnology, bioengineering and aerospace technology. In January 2001, Kim Jong Il returned from his visit to China and pointed out that it was necessary to set up a special agency within the Workers' Party of Korea to manage IT industries. According to its instructions, in December 2001, Bureau 21 was established to be fully responsible for the direction of North Korea's IT industry policy.
North Korea began computer research and development in the 1960s, and an "electronic computer manufacturing group" was established with Chinese Korean scientists as the core. In the 1960s and 1970s, North Korea's Kim Isan Sung University and Kim Chae Industrial University successively developed the first and second generation digital computers "Jianjin 5500" and "Longnanshan 1".
North Korea attaches great importance to training software technicians and has established related research institutions. These mainly include North Korean Computer Center, Pyongyang Information Center, North Korean Academy of Sciences, Eunsung Computer Center and other specialized scientific research institutions, as well as some colleges and universities, such as Kim Il Sung University and Kim Chaek Industrial University. Jin Zhenshu Normal University has independently developed more than 2,400 kinds of educational software in just a few years, and has become a famous base for training software R&D talents.
Overall, North Korea's hardware technology is at a rather low level. In 1982, North Korea assembled the Beacon 4-18 bit computer using Japanese components. Due to the lack of its own strength and the technical limitations of Western countries, North Korea has great difficulties in producing high-performance computer hardware, and the main components still rely on imports. Currently, the Pyongyang Computer Assembly Plant has an annual production capacity of about 30,000 16-bit personal computers. In addition, North Korea is also actively cooperating with foreign companies such as China and South Korea. In June 2002, China Panda Electronics Group Co., Ltd. and North Korean Daedongjiang Computer Joint Venture established "Chenxi Panda Computer Co., Ltd." in Pyongyang.
Despite various strict restrictions and technical blockades, North Korea has still achieved certain results in the research of high-performance computers. Allegedly, the North Korean military has generally used high-performance computers. In addition, in the late 1990s, North Korea successfully launched the Taepodong missile and the Kwangmyongsong satellite. Not long ago, it claimed to have developed nuclear weapons. Great progress has been made in high-performance computer research such as simulation experiments.
Judging from the popularization of computers, it is estimated that there are currently 120,000 to 130,000 computers (excluding military use) in Zhangxian, which are mainly concentrated in state agencies such as the Workers’ Party of Korea and the Ministry of National Security, large enterprises, and universities specializing in computer science.
According to South Korea's Yonhap News Agency, North Korea recently imported a large amount of computer software and hardware from Canada. The software is mainly learning and drawing software, and the hardware mainly includes computer motherboards, hard disks, CD-ROM drives, sound cards, and graphics cards. The active IT trade between North Korea and Canada is mainly because Canada has established formal diplomatic relations with North Korea and has less restrictions on the export of computer-related products.
According to relevant sources in the United States, in order to use computers for troop management and weapon system research, North Korea has recently increased its support for Pyongyang University of Automation, training more than 100 hackers every year to deal with cyber warfare. The main measures taken by the North Korean army to strengthen its information warfare capabilities include: strengthening the existing communication network, improving the reliability and digitization level of communication equipment.
In terms of wired communications, the North Korean army mainly transformed backward communications equipment through independent development. In terms of computer communication network, since 1996, military optical cable communication has been realized, which has greatly improved the data communication capability of the North Korean army. In the field of satellite communication systems, due to the limitation of technical level and other factors, North Korea currently mainly rents related systems from abroad.
The North Korean army recognized earlier that cyber warfare capabilities are the core of future military combat effectiveness. Beginning in the mid-1980s, the army recruited teenagers with computer aptitude, who were trained by the University of Automation to become professional hackers, and then assigned to battalion-based cyber warfare units. In 1992, North Korea developed software designed to interfere with command communications networks. In addition, it also conducted research on professional hacking attacks and plans to paralyze communications networks in Western countries and South Korea.
According to reports, North Korea has left multiple illegal access records on the US Army website in recent years. According to the US intelligence agency's evaluation in 2000, North Korea's cyber warfare personnel have reached the level of developed countries. In May 2004, according to sources from the Korean Army, according to the instructions of Chairman Kim Jong-il’s National Defense Commission, North Korea established a high-quality hacker force to specifically invade the websites of South Korean state agencies and research institutions, obtain relevant information, and launch Cyber terrorist attack.
DPRK Military Industry
For many years, North Korea has always insisted on giving priority to the development of military industry. At present, its self-developed weapons capabilities have reached a relatively high level. However, due to various reasons, North Korea’s defense industry still seems to be in the clouds.
v In 1945, shortly after the liberation of North Korea, the former Soviet Union began to provide weapons and weapon manufacturing technology to North Korea. In the 1970s, due to its alienation from the former Soviet Union, North Korea began to strengthen military cooperation with China. With the support of Chinese and Soviet technology, North Korea gradually got rid of simple imitation of weapons and equipment, and began to independently develop and produce its own weapons. Research and development capabilities have reached a fairly high level.
From the establishment of the regime, North Korea felt the need to develop its own military industry. Kim Ilsan-sung, the late chairman of the Kuang family in North Korea, believed that the main reason why North Korea suffered from Japanese aggression was that the North Korean army’s weapons and equipment were backward. Therefore, the North Korean government took strengthening its national defense power through the development of military industry as its top priority.
North Korea has long established a policy of giving priority to the development of heavy industry. After 1970, North Korea greatly increased its military strength, while actively seeking to modernize its military equipment. After 1980, North Korea began to take the road of building an army with quality, and established a self-developed production base for submarines, missiles, and aircraft. In 2003, North Korea announced the "Second Five-Year Plan for Science and Technology Development" (2003.10-2008), planning to expand foreign technological exchanges, accelerate the modernization of the defense industry.
Due to the defense pressure faced by North Korea, it has always put national defense construction in the most important position. Therefore, the North Korean army has been keeping a close eye on the development of military technology and tactics after the Cold War. North Korea naturally believes that its own security has lacked the kind of support and guarantee it had in the past. In order to maintain the effective deterrence of its own armed forces, North Korea currently takes measures mainly in three aspects:
- First, the existing traditional equipment platforms are being updated or improved. A large number of outdated platforms have little impact on the outcome of future high-tech wars.
- Second, accelerate the development of equipment with strategic deterrence. The successful development of various long-range ballistic missiles and possible breakthroughs in nuclear weapon technology show that North Korea has made many achievements in this regard, which is also considered by North Korean leaders and the military as its The most effective guarantee of safety.
- Third, in response to the equipment and tactical advantages and characteristics displayed by possible opponents in several local wars after the Cold War, North Korea made serious analysis and research, and adopted corresponding countermeasures, such as attaching importance to information warfare tactics and related technologies Talent training and equipment development, the rapid development of North Korea's software industry in recent years proves this point from one side.
Based on the comprehensive analysis of various situations, North Korea has chosen to develop asymmetric weapons and asymmetric tactics to compete with South Korea and the United States, which have technological advantages. At present, the asymmetric combat capability of the North Korean army is quite strong.
Second Economic Committee
North Korea's military industry is under the sole responsibility of the Pyongyang-based 2nd Economic Commission. The committee has 9 bureaus and 134 factories (41 special factories, 59 repair and maintenance and parts factories, 34 other related factories), and its subordinate Academy of Defense Science has recently been managed by the Central Committee of the Labor Party. The tasks of the 9 bureaus of the 2nd Economic Council are as follows:- The 1st Machinery Industry Bureau is responsible for the development and production of conventional weapons, ammunition and general military equipment.
- The 2nd Machinery Industry Bureau is responsible for the procurement, development and production of tanks, armored vehicles and military trucks. The bureau has improved the "Tian Mahu" tank, which imitated the former Soviet Union's T-62 tank, and has produced T4 improved prototypes. Recently The development of reactive armor is still in progress. In addition, the Bureau also cooperates with the 4th Machinery Industry Bureau to develop launch systems for shore-to-ship missiles and ballistic missiles.
- The 3rd Machinery Industry Bureau is responsible for towed artillery above 82 mm, anti-aircraft artillery, self-propelled artillery and development and production of rocket launchers The weapons produced by the Bureau have been exported to the Middle East in large quantities. The Bureau installed rocket boosters on the shells of the 170mm self-propelled artillery (M-1985/M-1991), which increased the range to 45 kilometers, and the range of the 240mm self-propelled rockets (M-1985/M-1991) was originally 45 kilometers, after continuous improvement, the range has been increased to 70 kilometers.
- The 4th Machinery Industry Bureau is responsible for the procurement, development and production of all missile systems in North Korea, with a focus on ballistic missiles - Hwaseong 5/6 (Scud B/C), labor and Taepodong production and related management. The bureau's current projects also include tracked launch systems, air launchers and ground launch systems for various tactical missiles (such as SA-3), as well as electronic countermeasures for anti-ship cruise missiles (such as AG-1) and air-to-air missiles. It is also reported that the bureau also imitated the French Exocet anti-ship missile and the American Stinger anti-aircraft missile.
- The 5th Machinery Industry Bureau is responsible for the development of nuclear weapons, chemical and biological weapons, and cooperates closely with institutions such as the Atomic Energy Commission, the Academy of Sciences, and the Academy of Defense Science.
- The 6th Machinery Industry Bureau is responsible for the R&D and production of surface ships, submarines and naval related equipment (North Korea began to build various ships in the 1970s).
- The 7th Machinery Industry Bureau is responsible for the procurement, development and production of aircraft and communication equipment. North Korea's aircraft industry headquarters is the aircraft factory in Fangxian (built in 1986), the main task is to repair and maintain aircraft and use parts for aircraft assembly and production.
The Academy of National Defense Science was established in the early 1960s and is now under the Central Military Commission of the Labor Party, responsible for all research and development related to national defense. The Academy of National Defense Science has the Department of Missiles, the Department of Electricity and Electronics, the Department of Metals and Chemical Materials and the Institute of Chemistry in Chengxing, the Institute of Biology and the Institute of Medicine in Dingzhou, the Atomic Energy Research Center in Bochuan, and the Electronic Guidance Institute in Jiangjie There are 40 research institutes such as the System Research Institute, and other scientific research institutions such as the Jiangjie Military Research Institute and the Yongbyon Atomic Energy Research Institute.
?Navy ships and submarines
North Korea as of 2021 had 22 former Soviet Romeo-class submarines. In 1973, two submarines were imported from China. Since 1976, the submarines of this class have been built at Xinpu Shipyard and Mayangdao Shipyard. It is planned to build one every 14 months until 1995. One bell, the Romeo-class construction plan was suspended. This class of submarine has an underwater displacement of 1,830 tons, is equipped with two 4,000-horsepower diesel engines, and has a crew of 54 (10 officers). Surface speed 15 knots, underwater 13 knots, equipped with 8 533 mm torpedo launcher tubes, and another 28 mines can be carried. The 921A radar early warning system made in China is installed, and the search radar is made in Russia.
North Korea as of 2021 had a total of 27 independently built Shark-class submarines. Due to the technical support from Yugoslavia, North Korea began to build this type of submarine at the Sinpo Shipyard in 1991. By 1996, a total of 4-6 submarines had been built. In 1997, 3 ships were built, mainly for infiltration operations. In September 1999, a ship was discovered by the South Korean Navy off the coast of Gangneung, Gangwon-do, South Korea. A very low frequency (VLF) radio receiver is mounted on the stern of the Shark class submarine, which is armed with a rocket launcher and 12.7 mm machine gun, dive depth 180 meters. Its underwater displacement is 277 tons, and its engine is a Russian-made diesel engine and a North Korean domestic generator. Surface speed is 7.6 knots and underwater is 8.8 knots. When sailing at a cruising speed of 7 knots, the range can reach 2700 nautical miles. It can take 19 crew members (2 officers) and 6 divers. Equipped with two 533mm torpedo tubes, some of them can carry 16 mines.
North Korea as of 2021 had 30 smaller Hugo-class and P-4 submarines, which have been imitated at the Sinpo Shipyard since the 1960s. Some submarines can support special operations, and some have the function of launching torpedoes. These submarines have received technical guidance from Yugoslavia since 1987 and have undergone performance improvements. Its underwater displacement is 110 tons, and its engines are two 320-horsepower diesel engines. In addition to the 4 crew members, it can also carry 6-7 divers. 12 knots surface speed, 8 knots underwater. When sailing at a cruising speed of 4 knots, the range is 50 nautical miles. The improved submarine is equipped with two 406 mm torpedo tubes.
frigate North Korea had planned to build six West Lake (SOHO) class frigates, but only one was completed. It was launched at the Rajin Shipyard in June 1980 and entered service in 1982. The base is located in Wuxipu, East China Sea. Task. The ship has a displacement of 1,640 tons, is equipped with two 15,000-horsepower diesel engines, has a speed of 23 knots, and has a crew of 189 (17 officers). Weapons and equipment include 4 ship-to-ship missiles (CSS-N-2 made in China, with a range of 46 kilometers, a speed of Mach 0.9, active radar or infrared homing guidance), a 100mm naval gun, 37mm, 30mm and 25mm 4 cannons each. Shipboard radar systems are made in China.
North Korea as of 2021 had two Rajin-class frigates, which were launched at the Rajin and Nampo shipyards in 1973 and 1975, respectively. It has a displacement of 1,500 tons, is equipped with three 18,000-horsepower diesel engines, has a speed of 24 knots, and has a crew of 180 (18 officers). Shipborne weapons include 2 Chinese-made CSS-N-l anti-ship missiles, 1 100mm gun, 4 57mm and 30mm cannons, 16 14.5mm anti-aircraft machine guns, and 2 depth charge launchers ( 30 rounds), 6 fixed decoy launchers. The electronic equipment is basically the same as that of the West Lake class.
North Korea as of 2021 had four light frigates, including three Sariwon-class ships and one TRAL-class ship, all of which are deployed in the East China Sea. Although these two classes of ships are very old, they are still on combat duty. The Shaliyuan class was designed on the basis of the former Soviet Navy's Bray ship Tetor class in the mid-1930s, and three ships were built in the 1960s. In the 1950s, North Korea received two Telal-class ships from the former Soviet Union, and returned one in the 1990s. This class of ships has a displacement of 650 tons, is equipped with two 3,000-horsepower engines, has a speed of 16 knots, a range of 2,700 nautical miles, and a crew of 60 (7 officers). Shipborne weapons include 1 85mm gun, 4 57mm and 37mm autocannons, 2 depth charge launchers, and 30 mines.
speedboat North Korea’s guard boats include 8 OSA-1 class made in the former Soviet Union, 4 Huangfen class made in China, 6 Ruixing class, 6 KOMAR class and 10 Western ships. state level. Four of the eight OSA-1 ships were deployed in the East China Sea and the West China Sea. The yellow class received from China in 1980 was deployed in the West China Sea.
The Ruixing class was built in 1980-1981. It is an imitation of the Koma class. The Koma class and the Ruixing class are deployed in the West China Sea. The Ruixing class has a displacement of 85 tons, is equipped with four 4,400-horsepower diesel engines, and has a speed of 40 knots. When cruising at a speed of 30 knots, the range can reach 400 nautical miles, and the crew is 19 people. Shipborne weapons include 2 Styx anti-ship missiles, 2 25mm cannons and 2 14.5mm anti-aircraft machine guns.
North Korea built the first Xizhou-class guard boat in 1981 on the basis of the former Soviet Union's Osa-class, and the construction plan was completed in 1996. At present, 6 ships are deployed in the East China Sea and 4 ships in the West Sea. The boat has a displacement of 265 tons, is equipped with three 8025-horsepower engines, has a speed of 34 knots, and has a crew of 32 (4 officers). Shipborne weapons include 4 Styx missiles, 4 30mm cannons, and BM/HN8610 monitoring system made in China.
North Korea as of 2021 had a total of six Hainan-class patrol boats with a displacement of 392 tons. In 1975, 1976 and 1978, North Korea imported two from China, all of which were deployed in the West Sea.
There are a total of 19 SO-1 patrol boats, all of which are deployed in the East China Sea. In the 1960s, 8 ships were imported from the former Soviet Union, and the rest were built by North Korea itself. Twelve of them are equipped with sonar and depth charges and can be used for anti-submarine warfare, and the remaining seven are used as gunboats. The boat has a displacement of 215 tons, is equipped with three 6600-horsepower engines, and has a crew of 31 people. Shipborne weapons include 1 85mm gun, 4 (or 6) 37mm and 25mm guns each.
There are 7 Taechong-1 class patrol boats and 5 Taechong-1 class patrol boats, all of which are imitation models of China’s Hainan class, deployed in the East China Sea and West China Sea. Taichuan-1 weighs 410 tons, Taichuan-1 weighs 425 tons, is equipped with four 8,800-horsepower engines, has a speed of 25 knots, and has a crew of 80 people. Shipborne weapons include 1 100mm gun, 4 57mm and 30mm guns, and 2 depth charge launchers.
There are 6 Cheongju-class patrol boats, built between 1975 and 1989, at least one of which is equipped with torpedo tubes, deployed in the East China Sea and West Sea Fleet. The boat weighs 205 tons, is equipped with four 4406-horsepower engines, has a speed of 20 knots, and has 48 crew members. The ship is armed with four Chinese-made CSS-N-1 anti-ship missiles, one 85mm gun, and four 37mm guns.
There are 59 Chaho-class patrol boats. North Korea successfully imitated the P-6 hull of the former Soviet Union in 1974, and exported three ships to Iran in 1987, which are still under construction. 35 ships are deployed in the East China Sea Fleet, and 24 ships are deployed in the West Sea Fleet. This type of boat weighs 85 tons, is equipped with four 4,400-horsepower engines, has a speed of 37 knots, and has a crew of 16 people. It is equipped with one 122mm multiple rocket launcher, one 23mm multiple rocket launcher, and two 14.5mm machine guns.
There are a total of 54 Chongjin-class patrol boats, which are an improved version of the Cihui class. Construction began in 1975. 15 ships are deployed in the Coast Guard, and the rest are deployed in the East China Sea and West Sea Fleets. It weighs 80 tons, is equipped with four 4,400-horsepower engines, has a speed of 36 knots, and has 17 crew members. Equipped with 1 85mm gun and 4 or 8 14.5mm machine guns.
There are a total of 53 Sinpo-class patrol boats, 33 of which were imported from the former Soviet Union and China, and the remaining 20 were built by North Korea and deployed in the East and West Seas. The boat weighs 73 tons, is equipped with four 4,400-horsepower engines, has a speed of 45 knots, and has 15 crew members. Equipped with 1 25mm gun, 2 37mm guns, 6 boats with 14.5mm machine guns, and some are equipped with 2 torpedo tubes and 8 depth charges.
North Korea as of 2021 had 15 TB 11PA and 10 TB40A high-speed patrol boats. The hulls of the boats are made of tempered glass, which is very similar to ordinary European merchant ships. TB 40A is still under construction and deployed in the Coast Guard. It weighs 8 tons and is equipped with two 520-horsepower diesel engines. It has a speed of 35 knots and a range of 200 nautical miles (15 knots). It has a crew of 4 and is armed with a 7.62mm machine gun.
landing ship North Korea as of 2021 had 10 Hankook-class landing ships, built in the early 1980s, most of which are deployed in the East China Sea. The ship weighs 350 tons, is equipped with two 4352-horsepower engines, has a speed of 18 knots, and has a crew of 36 people. The ship's weapons are 8 25mm cannons. It can carry 350 soldiers and 3 tanks.
There are 92 Nanpu-class assault landing craft. Construction began in 1975, and 4 were exported to Madagascar in 1979. The boat weighs 75 tons, has four 4,400-horsepower diesel engines, a speed of 35 knots, a range of 450 nautical miles (30 knots), a crew of 35, and can carry 19 soldiers. Shipboard weapons are 4 14.5mm machine guns.
There are 7 Hanchon-class landing craft and 18 Xingnan-class landing craft. The hull length of the Xingnan class is less than half of the improved Hanchuan class built in the 1980s. It can carry 2 tanks or 300 soldiers. The ship's weapons include 2 14.5mm machine guns.
North Korea as of 2021 had 136 offensive and defensive (Kongbang)-class landing craft, including 1 type 1 (25 meters long), 57 type 2 (21 meters) and 78 type 3 (18 meters). Construction started in 1987 and stopped in 1996. Type 2 can carry 50 special forces team members, with a speed of 50 knots. Type 3 can carry 40 special forces team members, with a speed of 40 knots.
Ground system armored vehicles The M-1985 light tank was developed on the basis of China's Type 63 (developed on the basis of the former Soviet Union's PT-76, and the North Korean army is also equipped with PT-76) amphibious tanks. North Korea produced the VTT-323 light tank, which was later developed. Because the United States first discovered the tank in 1985, it was named M-1985 light tank. The tank is equipped with an 85mm gun and a 7.62mm machine gun. There is an anti-tank missile launcher on the turret. It has a crew of 3-4 people, a total combat weight of 22 tons, and a 320-horsepower engine. Currently, the North Korean ground forces have about 500 M-1985 and PT-76.
The M-1992 armored vehicle was developed in the late 1980s and got its name because it was first discovered by the U.S. Army in 1992. The front of the car body is equipped with a Russian-made AGS-17 30mm automatic grenade launcher, and the rear is equipped with a Russian-made AT-4 anti-tank missile. It does not have three-defense and night vision capabilities. The crew is 4 people, the combat weight is 12 tons, and the engine is 250 horsepower.
VTT-323 amphibious armored vehicle The U.S. military named North Korea's VTT-323 tracked amphibious armored vehicle M-1973. The combat weight of the vehicle is 12.7 tons, the engine is 320 horsepower, and the turret is equipped with a 14.5mm machine gun and a Russian-made SA-16 air defense missile. The anti-tank version of VTT-323 is equipped with AT-3 anti-tank missiles, which the United States named M-1992 self-propelled anti-tank missile system.
army artillery North Korea as of 2021 had deployed a large number of 170mm self-propelled artillery with a range of up to Seoul near the military demarcation line. North Korea calls it the "main gun". M-1978". The gun is actually transformed by North Korea using the chassis of the Chinese Type 59 tank and inserting a 170mm barrel into the inner barrel of the $23 i80mm gun. The self-propelled artillery has a total combat weight of 40 tons and an engine power of 520 horsepower. It can continuously fire 12 rounds of shells, with a maximum range of 30 kilometers. When using rocket-extended range bombs, it can reach 44 kilometers. It can hit the city of Seoul when fired near the military demarcation line. The number of equipment is about two artillery battalions.
North Korea's anti-aircraft artillery includes M-1985 57mm self-propelled anti-aircraft gun, M-1992 37mm twin-mounted self-propelled gun, M-1992 23mm twin-mounted self-propelled gun and M-1984 14.5mm quadruple-mounted Baixing air defense system wait.
The M-1985 anti-aircraft gun was modified by adding a 57mm gun to its tracked armored vehicle, with an effective range of 4,000 meters, a combat weight of 22 tons, and an engine of 300 horsepower. Since there is no radar control system, it can only be used in good weather conditions.
The M-1992 37mm anti-aircraft gun was modified by North Korea for its AT-S tracked armored vehicle. It has an effective range of 2,499 meters, a total combat weight of 19 tons, and a 300-horsepower engine. It can also only fight under good weather conditions.
The M-1992 23mm anti-aircraft gun was also transformed from an AT-S armored vehicle, with a combat weight of 19 tons, an engine of 300 horsepower, and an effective range of 2,500 meters.
The M-1984 chassis is the "Tian Sloppy" tank chassis that North Korea imitated the Soviet T-62 tank in 1973. Judging from the turret design, it is similar to the Russian-made ZPU-23-4 anti-aircraft gun, but the Russian 23mm gun is replaced with four 14.5mm anti-aircraft machine guns.
North Korea as of 2021 had been producing multiple rocket launchers since the early 1960s. In addition to the 12-tube rocket launcher produced in cooperation with China, it also developed a 24-tube rocket launcher M-1992/2. In the mid-1970s, North Korea produced 30 tubes of BM-11 rocket launchers, which were mounted on Russian-made Ural-375D trucks. The launch time of 30 rounds is 15 seconds, and the loading time is 8-9 minutes. The rocket weighs 66 kg and has a maximum range of 20,500 meters. North Korea’s 12-tube 240mm rocket launcher is mounted on an Isuzu truck with a maximum range of 43,000 meters. The 22-tube 240mm rocket launcher M-1991 has a range of 70 kilometers. It can hit Seoul from the underground launch pad in Kaesong. Each launch pad can launch 72 rounds (12 tubes) or 132 rounds (22 tubes) of rockets in one hour.
Reaper-like UAVs (presumably the “multi-purpose attack drone”) Global Hawk-like UAV (presumably the “strategic reconnaissance drone”) State television called the RQ-4 Global Hawk-like UAV the “’Saetbyol-4’ strategic reconnaissance drone” (Morning Star-4 or ??-4) State television called the MQ-9 Reaper-like UAV the “‘Saetbyol-9’ multi-purpose attack drone” (Morning Star-9 or ??-9). saetbyol-4-20230727-image05-s.jpg Saetbyol-4 RQ-4 Global Hawk clone
https://www.38north.org/2023/08/imitation-is-the-sincerest-form-north-korea-unveils-two-types-of-copycat-uavs/">Imitation Is the Sincerest Form: North Korea Unveils Two Types of Copycat UAVs By: Vann H. Van Diepen - August 4, 2023 During the Cold War, North Korea was equipped with an air force of good size and technical level, which could compete with the South Korean Air Force. With the end of the Cold War, the equipment of the North Korean Air Force has not been updated for a long time. The South Korean Air Force received support from the United States during the same period, and the rapid development of the Air Force has now been able to crush the North Korean Air Force. Although North Korea as of 2021 had more than 1,500 military aircraft, most of them are old. If it confronts the South Korean Air Force directly, North Korea no longer has the strength to confront it.
North Korea is well aware of the greater pressure on the defense of the air force, so for a long time the outside world has been rumored that China will provide North Korea with fighter jets. Judging from the current situation, because North Korea's aviation industry has a weak foundation, China can provide North Korea with not many types of fighter jets.
The fifth-generation aircraft is naturally out of consideration. China is most likely to provide North Korea with J-10, "Fierce Dragon" fighter jets, and J-11. But the J-11 should be ruled out first.
The J-11 is a heavy fighter with advantages in range and ammunition load. Even though the J-20 is in service today, the J-11 is still the main force for the Chinese Air Force to perform air superiority operations. However, because China and Russia have signed a related agreement, the J-11 cannot be used for export.
Secondly, "Fierce Dragon" should be excluded. "Fierce Dragon" was jointly developed by Pakistan and China. At present, Pakistan is responsible for the main production work and foreign sales work. For example, if Iraqi representatives want to buy "Fierce Dragon" in 2021, they need to negotiate with Pakistani representatives instead of negotiating with Chinese representatives.
If North Korea wants to buy this fighter jet, it needs to negotiate related business with Pakistan. But from the perspective of diplomatic relations, Pakistan has a friendly relationship with China, but its relationship with the United States is not bad. Pakistan is also equipped with a lot of F-16 fighters and needs the support of the United States. Therefore, the negotiation between North Korea and Pakistan on the business of "Fierce Dragon" fighter jets will most likely end without a problem.
The J-10 is a fighter jet developed by China itself. After the development of the J-10C, this model has already possessed complete combat capabilities. Whether it is active phased array radar, or infrared detection, air-to-air missiles and other aspects have reached a good level. It is indeed a good choice for China to provide J-10 to North Korea.
But even if China provides North Korea with the J-10, it may not be able to change the status quo of the North Korean Air Force's backwardness.
First, the number of gaps in the North Korean Air Force's advanced fighter jets is huge. To increase combat effectiveness in a short period of time, at least 100 to 200 are needed. Considering North Korea's economic situation, how China will provide North Korea with such a large number of fighter jets will be a difficult problem for both sides.
Second, it doesn't make sense to simply sell fighter jets. Only by fundamentally changing the status quo of North Korea's backward aviation industry can the problem be solved. This means that China must provide North Korea with production lines. At least to reach the level of cooperation between China and Pakistan.
Finally, even if North Korea acquires a large number of J-10Cs and production lines in a short period of time, it may not be able to compete with the South Korean Air Force.
North Korea is lagging behind not only in the air force but also in the navy. With the arrival of South Korea's F-35B fighter jets, the gap between the two sides will widen. If North Korea wants to equip advanced fighter jets and strengthen the air defense of its airports, this means that China must also provide North Korea with a sufficient number of advanced air defense missiles.
Otherwise, North Korea's J-10 is very likely to be wiped out in the hangar by the South Korean and American coalition forces in the first round of strikes. Because of the above difficulties, China's supply of a large number of J-10s to North Korea may not be able to completely reverse the backwardness of the North Korean Air Force in a short period of time.
dprk/images/ agp-250-image04-s.jpg agp-250-image04-s.jpg agp-250-image04-s.jpg agp-250-image04-s.jpg kn-aam-sr-image01-s.jpg _work najin-image02.jpg m1974-image574.jpg 2-economic-committee-image01.jpg One of the most noticeable changes in the Kim Jong-un era is the propaganda method using drones. North Korea began to stress the importance of science and technology during the years of regime founder Kim Il-sung. Under the rule of current leader Kim Jong-un, the country has placed even greater emphasis on the need to develop the economy and strengthen the military by means of scientific and technological development. Drones are used to produce videos that show a change in the country in a dynamic way. A drone was also used to capture the scenery of Samjiyon City near Mt. Baekdu, which symbolizes the roots of the Baekdu bloodline. That is, North Korea used state-of-the-art filming equipment to show to the people that their country is developing well. North Korean media used drones in earnest at a military parade commemorating the 70th anniversary of the regime foundation in 2018. Around the time, the country also used drones for performing arts. To celebrate the 70th anniversary of its foundation on September 9, 2018, North Korea staged a mass gymnastics show titled “Glorious Country.” When the performance reached its peak, drones formed the phrase “Glorious Country” in the sky in a dazzling drone show. In 2021, North Korea’s state-run Korean Central Television said that the country has introduced a scientific farming method of using drones in order to increase agricultural production. The TV showed the scenes of agricultural drones flying and workers adjusting the location of the drones using controllers. Judging from several hoses hanging around the drones, it is assumed that the drones were used for pest control work. North Korea began to develop its Banghyun(??) unmanned aerial vehicle series in the early 1990s. As a modified version of the Chinese D-4 drone system, the series include Banghyun-I and Banghyun-II. North Korea also developed a multi-purpose drone called “Durumi(???),” which can conduct both reconnaissance and attack missions. On the 100th anniversary of Kim Il-sung’s birthday in April 2012, North Korea showed off a drone of its own making during a military parade. In 2013, the North test-launched a self-developed unmanned combat aerial vehicle. The following year, North Korean drones flew over major facilities in South Korea for reconnaissance purposes. During his New Year’s speech in 2014, leader Kim Jong-un once again stressed the importance of unmanned aerial vehicles in light of military development using scientific methods. South Korea’s National Intelligence Service believed that as of 2023 North Korea had about 500 drones of 20 different types, mostly small ones- from one to six meters in length. North Korea started to develop military drones in the 20th century. The impoverished North may have concluded that a drone costing millions of won would be cost-effective, compared to a missile that requires billions of won. After taking power, leader Kim Jong-un chose a drone unit as the site for his first inspection of military training, indicating that he focused his efforts on drone development. Drones comprise a major part in the military of the Kim Jong-un regime. During a military parade in July 2023, North Korea showed a large number of new unmanned aerial vehicles. North Korea unveiled two surveillance and attack drone models called “Saetbyul-4” and “Saetbyul-9,” respectively. They each appear to be almost identical to the U.S. military’s high-altitude, unmanned surveillance aircraft and its unmanned attack aircraft. The U.S. surveillance drone uses high-performance radar at an altitude of 20 kilometers to identify ground objects. The U.S. attack drone can rise to an altitude of up to 15 kilometers to approach the target before attacking. Professor Jeong now explains the technology level of the North Korean drones, which look like the U.S. high-tech drones. South Korea is far superior to North Korea in terms of drone technology. North Korean drones’ payload, which refers to the weight a drone can carry, is extremely low and they cannot be controlled in real time. Even if converted to attack mode, the amount of bombs that can be loaded on the drone is limited. In terms of technological capabilities, North Korean drones have limitations. The level of equipment and weapons mounted on North Korean drones is rather low, in terms of quality. However, North Korea’s drone power should not be underrated. In December 2022, five North Korean drones infiltrated the Seoul metropolitan area. One of them entered central Seoul along the Han River. Notably, North Korea as of 2021 had recently organized a drone unit under its Strategic Force. North Korea would typically unveil offensive weapons in the past. In a shift from the previous practice, the country has revealed images of reconnaissance satellites. It means that the North is building a drone system for both reconnaissance and attack operations. North Korea as of 2021 had a goal of building an advanced weapons system by fulfilling five major tasks in the strategic arms sector. One of the tasks is to develop reconnaissance drones. The North seeks to use a weapon system designed to carry out both surveillance and attack missions as an important military resource. North Korea’s drone ambitions are becoming a source of security concerns in South Korea. In 2021, Kim Jong-un cited the development of reconnaissance drones as one of the five major tasks in the defense field. North Korea as of 2021 had since tried to deploy drones quickly. It is difficult to detect and intercept drones, which poses a threat, as seen in the war between Russia and Ukraine. On a disturbing note, Russia presented drones to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as a gift during his visit to Russia in September. North Korea received explosive drones and a reconnaissance drone from Russia. The North is making great use of science and technology in order to escape from international isolation and lay the groundwork for a self-reliant economy amid prolonged sanctions. Having the situation in mind, North Korea is likely to develop drones further and expand the scope of their use, with much emphasis placed on the military area. The country will likely inject the budget into technological development needed for building an attack and reconnaissance weapons system. China is also working hard to develop drone technology. North Korea may imitate Chinese technology and also develop its own technology. I imagine North Korea will improve its drone performance down the road, compared to now. Drones are controlled by radio waves or autonomous navigation devices. They can save people’s lives, but sometimes, they can also be threatening. North Korea as of 2021 had expanded the use of drones in many different areas lately. It seems necessary for South Korea to closely watch what choice North Korea will make and respond effectively to it. 9 Sep 2023 Kim Jong Un has marked the 75th anniversary of the founding of North Korea with a parade of paramilitary forces and promises to deepen ties with China and Russia. The Founding Day military parade was the third such event staged this year in North Korea. In July, the 70th anniversary of the armistice agreement in the 1950-1953 Korean War was also marked by solemn celebrations, with a Russian delegation led by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu attending at the invitation of the North Korean Defense Ministry. The North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his daughter attended a paramilitary parade held in Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang to mark the 75th anniversary of the country, state media reported on Saturday. North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), was established on September 9, 1948. The North Korean leader attended the midnight parade on Friday in Pyongyang’s Kim Il Sung Square which was also attended by a visiting Chinese delegation and Russian diplomats, Paramilitary group the Worker-Peasant Red Guards – with 5.7 million members – featured prominently in the parade. The event featured “paramilitary forces” from the capital, Pyongyang, state media said, rather than soldiers in the regular army, and it did not appear to showcase the country’s fearsome domestically produced weaponry including intercontinental ballistic missiles. Images in state media showed uniformed paramilitary brigades, including some riding tractors or in large red trucks, as Kim, flanked by his young daughter, looked on smiling and clapping. To mark the founding day, rocket launchers towed by trucks and tractors traversed the square in the capital that bears the name of the founder of North Korea, while planes lined up in the sky to depict the number “75” to the strains of music played by a military orchestra, Its urban camouflage from drone spotting/Ariel attack. It's genius. I love the addition of building materials bags on the top. The white fabric is fake canvas bags. When the launcher isn’t deployed the MLRS just looks like any other random truck with a load of flour or something. I think what we’re seeing here is a removable mrl and cover that are meant to turn existing dump trucks into mlrs during war, not mlrs disguised as dump trucks as an active service weapon. Same vein as their tractors. Are they just going to use these as regular dump trucks until they’re needed as MLRS’? The KPAGF deploys 65–70% of its entire military, including artillery, in three defensive belts located within 80 km of the mutual border between the two Koreas. The KPAGF selected their current artillery positions so approximately two-thirds of each weapon’s range lies inside South Korean territory. Many of the artillery units operate from a hardened artillery site (HARTS), a robust position with a complex network of subterranean chambers connected by tunnels. The. MRLs move out from underground facilities (UGFs), fire from preplanned firing positions, and return to the UGFs. The real champion among large-caliber guns is the 170-mm M-1989 - the development of the M-1978 Koksan self-propelled guns, made on the T-54/55 chassis and actively used during the Iran-Iraq war. This completely independent development in the chassis uses elements of the T-62, also known as the Chonma, produced in the DPRK under a Soviet license. The long-barreled gun is capable of firing conventional high-explosive fragmentation shells at a distance of at least 40,000 m, and active-reactive shells - up to 60,000 m. Rate of fire - at least two rounds per minute. Each such self-propelled gun could carry a stock of shells in twelve pieces. The mass of self-propelled guns is estimated at forty tons. The maximum speed on the highway is not less than 50 km/h. Crew - seven people. It is believed that the military industry of the DPRK was able to produce several hundred M-1989s and a huge stock of ammunition for them.
"In the first quarter of 2023, the volume of cargo transportation through the Khasan / Tumangan border crossing amounted to 13,223 tons, including 4,946 tons of wheat flour and 4,309 tons of corn from Russia to the DPRK. In addition, our vegetable oil, confectionery and petroleum products, construction materials are in transit from China," the ambassador said.
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