Hwasong 6
TypeSRBM
Service history
Used by North Korea
 Iran
 Syria
 Yemen
 Egypt
 Vietnam
 Myanmar
WarsYemeni Civil War (2015-present)
Production history
ManufacturerNorth Korea/Iran
Specifications
Length12 m
Diameter0.88 m
WarheadConventional high-explosive, Fragmentation, Chemical VX warhead
EngineLiquid
Operational
range
600 km (370 mi)
Maximum speed Mach 5
Guidance
system
Inertial

The Hwasong-6 (Korean: 화성 6; Hanja: 火星 6) is a North Korean tactical ballistic missile. It is derived from the Hwasong-5, itself a derivative of the Soviet R-17 Elbrus. It carries the NATO reporting name Scud.

History

Work on an extended-range version of the Hwasong-5 began in 1988, and with only relatively minor modifications, a new type was produced from 1989, designated Hwasong-6 ("Scud Mod. C" or "Scud-C"). It was first tested in June 1990, and entered full-scale production the same year, or in 1991. It was superseded by the Rodong-1.[citation needed]

To increase range over its predecessor, the Hwasong-6 has its payload decreased to 770 kg (1,700 lb) and the length of the rocket body extended to increase the propellant by 25%; accuracy is 700–1,000 meters circular error probability (CEP).[1][2][3] Such range is sufficient to strike targets as far away as western Japan. Its dimensions are identical to the original Hwasong-5. Due to difficulties in procuring MAZ-543 TELs, mobile launchers were produced in North Korea. By 1999, North Korea was estimated to have produced 600 to 1,000 Hwasong-6 missiles, of which 25 had been launched in tests, 300 to 500 had been exported, and 300 to 600 were in service with the Korean People's Army.[4]

A variant with terminal maneuverability was tested in May 2017.[5] U.S. intelligence referred to the upgraded missile as the KN-18.[6]

Export

The Hwasong-6 was exported to Iran, where it is designated as the Shahab-2, to Syria, where it is manufactured under licence with Chinese assistance[4] and to Yemen.[7] Myanmar also imported Hwasong-6 ballistic missiles in 2009.[8] About 25 hwasong-6 ballistic missiles were purchased by Vietnam from North Korea in 1997.[9] In 1995, Libya purchased 5 Hwasong-6 missiles from North Korea, however they were never tested or deployed, and planned local production was cancelled in 2003 with the disarmament of Libya.[9]

See also

References

  1. ^ Hwasong-6 (Scud-C) short-range tactical ballistic missile Archived 2017-03-13 at the Wayback Machine - Armyrecognition.com
  2. ^ ‘Scud C’ Variant (Hwasong 6) Archived 2016-10-26 at the Wayback Machine - Missilethreat.csis.org
  3. ^ Scud-C Variant (Hwasong 6) Archived 2016-04-05 at the Wayback Machine - Missiledefenseadvocacy.org
  4. ^ a b Bermudez, Joseph S. (1999). "A History of Ballistic Missile Development in the DPRK: Longer Range Designs, 1989-Present". James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies. Archived from the original on 2013-12-14. Retrieved 2008-02-14.
  5. ^ "Introducing the KN21, North Korea's New Take on its Oldest Ballistic Missile". Archived from the original on 2019-07-07. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
  6. ^ North Korea’s New Short-Range Missiles: A Technical Evaluation. 38 North. 9 October 2019.
  7. ^ "How Did the Houthis Manage to Lob a Ballistic Missile at Mecca?". 2 January 2017. Archived from the original on 2018-03-17. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
  8. ^ Min Lwin and Wai Moe (25 October 2020). "Junta Forms Missile Force to Guard Against External treats". Archived from the original on 25 October 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
  9. ^ a b "Trade Registers". armstrade.sipri.org. Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
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