Hwasal-2 Ground Launched Cruise Missile [GLCM] - KN-32 ???
North Korea claimed it fired four 'Hwasal-2' cruise missiles into the East Sea in the early hours of 23 February 2023, which would have coincided with a tabletop exercise held in Washington. The launches came as the United States and South Korea held a simulated military exercise in Washington, DC, aimed at sharpening their response to North Korean nuclear threats. It also follows the allies' joint anti-missile drill with Japan held in the East Sea, which practiced tracking and intercepting incoming ballistic missiles. The North's claim that the missiles it fired traveled 2,000 kilometers would indicate a range that covers U.S. bases in Japan.
The four Hwasal-2 missiles were launched from the area of Kim Chaek City in North Hamgyong Province, towards the sea off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in an English-language report. They hit a preset target after travelling “2,000km-long [1,243-mile] elliptical and eight-shaped flight orbits for 10,208 seconds to 10,224 seconds,” it added.
The released image of the "Hwasal-2" is consistent with the second observed LACM. Joseph Dempsey observed "Therefore logically the first observed LACM would be 'Hwasal-1'" Both white and black versions of “long-range cruise missile” were on display next to launch vehicles in separate spots at the 12 October 2021 weapons expo in Pyongyang. There appear to be small differences between the two but it is likely that they are an evolution based on one common design. The name Hwasal means "Arrow" and is of Korean origin.
North Korea first tested a long-range cruise missile system in September 2021 and has since described the weapons as “strategic”, suggesting that they are being developed with the intent to arm them with nuclear warheads. The latest launches successfully demonstrated the war readiness of North Korea’s nuclear combat forces, which are strengthening their “lethal nuclear counterattack capabilities against hostile forces,” KCNA said.
South Korea’s military said it was analysing the North’s claim of the launches. “South Korean and U.S. reconnaissance and surveillance assets were closely monitoring the relevant area at the time (of the drills) the North claims,” the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement, according to the Yonhap news agency. “An analysis is underway on various possibilities, including whether the North’s claim is true or not.”
Cruise missiles are highly accurate, self-propelled weapons that are designed to fly at low altitudes and follow a predetermined flight path to their target. They are used primarily for striking ground targets, such as enemy installations, military units, or infrastructure. Unlike ballistic missiles, which are powered by rockets and follow an arching trajectory into space before coming down on their target, cruise missiles fly at a relatively low altitude and are propelled by jet engines or turbofans.
Cruise missiles can be launched from a variety of platforms, including ground-based launchers, ships, submarines, or aircraft. They are typically guided by onboard computers and sensors, such as GPS, inertial navigation systems, and terrain-following radar, which allow them to navigate their way to the target with great precision. Some cruise missiles are also capable of adjusting their flight path mid-flight to avoid obstacles or evade detection by enemy defenses.
Cruise missiles can carry a variety of payloads, including conventional high-explosive warheads, fragmentation warheads, incendiary devices, or chemical or biological agents. They can also be used to deliver nuclear warheads, although this is highly controversial and subject to strict international treaties and agreements.
“The nuclear combat forces of the DPRK are strengthening their ability to conduct fatal nuclear counterattacks on the hostile forces in every way, and their preparations for action were clearly demonstrated once again,” Friday’s report states, calling it a success. “Hostile forces” typically refers to the U.S., South Korea and Japan in state media. The Party Central Military Commission (CMC), headed by Kim Jong Un, reportedly “expressed great satisfaction at the result of the launching drill.”
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