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This is the Hyunmoo-4-1 mobile launcher unveiled on the 2023 Armed Forces Day. If you look closely at the rear, you can see that the heat shield of the Hyunmoo-4-1 is much larger and curved than that of the Hyunmoo-2C.
On September 26th, through the Armed Forces Day commemoration, the Ministry of National Defense unveiled the Hyunmoo-2C and Hyunmoo-4 ballistic missile mobile launchers, the Hyunmoo-3 cruise missile, the next-generation reconnaissance and attack unmanned aircraft, and the L-SAM launcher.
Among them, through Military Review Issue 2311, we had the opportunity to organize and analyze the Hyunmoo-2C and Hyunmoo-4 ballistic missiles, which are Korean strategic weapons, and the latest Korean ballistic missile technology.
Has the Hyunmoo-4 been unveiled?
Various new weapon systems were unveiled through Armed Forces Day, but the military did not disclose even the official names of the unveiled weapons, let alone their detailed performance, for security reasons.
If the shape and official name are disclosed, North Korea could identify and preemptively strike them, so security was maintained, but the existence of the Hyunmoo-4 was identified due to some shape differences.
A Ministry of National Defense official avoided detailed discussion, but on Armed Forces Day, some information about the current status of Korean ballistic missile development was disclosed, and it is also known that the performance improvement project for the Hyunmoo-3 cruise missile is underway. We have analyzed it.
This is a concept diagram of a new and enhanced SLBM launcher under development by the Defense Science Research Institute.
◆ What is the difference between Hyunmoo-2C and Hyunmoo-4?
Mobile launchers for Hyunmoo-4-1 and Hyunmoo-2C were unveiled through Armed Forces Day. Here, there are three models of Hyunmoo-4: the ground-to-ground model Hyunmoo 4-1, the ship-to-ground model Hyunmoo 4-2, and the submarine launch model Hyunmoo 4-4. Among them, Hyunmoo 4-1 and 4-4 are in the process of being deployed in actual combat, and the development project for Hyunmoo-4-2 was decided on April 13, 2023.
To supplement, through the 152nd Defense Project Promotion Committee, a project to develop a ship-to-ground ballistic missile that can be mounted on a naval combat ship was decided. The main content is to invest a budget of 610 billion won under the leadership of the Defense Science Research Institute from 2024 to 2036 to develop and deploy a ship-to-ground ballistic missile that can be mounted on the King Sejong the Great class, KDDX class, and Joint Firepower Ship.
An official avoided mentioning detailed contents, but in the case of the submarine launch model Hyunmoo-4-4, it is highly likely that a more advanced model will be developed based on Hyunmoo-4-2 in the future, as the current model was hastily developed for political reasons. In fact, the Defense Science Research Institute is developing a new and enhanced SLBM launcher. We have analyzed it in detail.
This is a mobile launcher carrying the Hyunmoo 2C. If you look at the rear, you can see that the heat shield is smaller and straighter than that of the Hyunmoo-4-1.
◆ Is the heat shield structure different?
The K501 mobile launcher for Hyunmoo-4-1 was unveiled through Armed Forces Day, but at first, it was difficult to identify because the overall shape was almost no different from the previously unveiled K501 mobile launcher for Hyunmoo-2C.
Both used the same 5-axis 10-wheel structure and box-type container launcher, but the structure of the heat shield mounted at the rear was different, so its existence was identified.
The heat shield of the Hyunmoo-2C, which disperses the heat storm emitted from the solid rocket, is smaller and straight, compared to the Hyunmoo-4-1, which has a much larger and curved curved heat shield. This means that the amount of flame discharged from the Hyunmoo-4-1, that is, the thrust, is large.
The military has never officially disclosed the official names of the mobile launchers carrying Hyunmoo-2C and Hyunmoo-4-1, but they are known as K501, and the launchers carrying Hyunmoo-2A/B ballistic missiles and Hyunmoo-3 are called K409.
We have analyzed the performance and main features of the K501 and K409 mobile launchers developed in Korea.
This is a scene where the Hyunmoo-2C with a range of 800km is launched from a barge at the comprehensive test site of the Defense Science Research Institute in Taean, Chungnam. It is an important photo that can identify the main shape of the Hyunmoo-2C and Hyunmoo-4-1.
◆ What is the difference between Hyunmoo-2C and Hyunmoo-4?
The shape of the Hyunmoo-4 missile has not been disclosed, but officials simply mentioned that the Hyunmoo-4 is an enlarged development of the Hyunmoo-2C. Only the warhead weight has increased to about 2 tons, the base technology and operation control system are the same, and the mobile launcher also uses a series model.
The background for this is that due to a sudden political change, South Korea’s ballistic missile warhead weight suddenly increased, and the Hyunmoo-4-1, a model quickly developed based on the Hyunmoo-2C, was developed to match the increase in warhead weight.
To supplement, on June 23, 2017, a scene of the Hyunmoo-2C with a range of 800km being launched from a barge at the comprehensive test site of the Defense Science Research Institute in Taean, Chungnam, was unveiled. At that time, then-President Moon Jae-in also attended the launch test, and it was also announced that it would be deployed within the year after two additional test evaluations.
However, the mass production of the Hyunmoo-2C was suddenly reduced, and the reason is that the Korea-US missile guidelines were revised.
On September 4, 2017, then-President Moon Jae-in and then-US President Trump agreed in a phone call to remove the limit on the warhead weight of ballistic missiles while maintaining the 800km range limit, so the warhead weight limit was suddenly lifted.
Then, on May 21, 2021, as a result of the summit meeting between then-President Moon Jae-in and US President Joe Biden, the Korea-US missile guidelines were officially terminated, and Korea was able to develop all types of ballistic missiles and satellite launch vehicles.
