North Korea would launch a ballistic missile from a new submarine a few hours ago. This is what is communicated by the Ministry of Defense of South Korea.
The missile would have been launched from the eastern sea, flying for about twenty miles. No other details were issued. The launch could have been carried out by the new submarine of 67 meters. The latter, if it were operational, could have greater autonomy and firepower than the other submarines in service with the North Korean Naval Force.
The submarine has been identified several times in the last two years at the Sinpo shipyard, North Korea's main construction site and headquarters of the Maritime Research Institute, responsible for the research and development of marine and submarine technology. The class boat Sinpo could have a displacement of 900-1500 tons, but until recently it was believed it had no missile capabilities.
North Korea has in the past built experimental submarines to test the new weapon systems that are inspired by the class Heroj, Yugoslav projects acquired by Pyongyang in the 1970. In fact, North Korea has a submarine capable of carrying ballistic missiles. It would be an old, highly modified 'Project 629' class 'Golf'.
The 'Golf' class diesel-electric-powered submarines entered service with the Soviet Union in the 1958: the 23 built boats were struck off the active service in the 1990. In 1993, North Korea bought ten scrapped 'Golfs'. Twenty years later, the last submarine of the class has returned to sail the seas. The 'Golfs' were able to carry both ballistic missiles and Scud (with a single warhead of a megatone), but we're talking about obsolete weapon systems: just think that the three missiles 'R-13' transported, could be launched only on the surface (madness in the current strategy) at a maximum distance of 600 km. The 'R-13' were all withdrawn in the 1975.
The Maritime Research Institute, responsible for the research and development of North Korean marine and submarine technology, has been developing SLBM technology for years. Today's could be the first real test launch from a submarine.
(photo: KCNA archive)
