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KN-02 Toksa

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hwasong-11
Artist rendition of the missile
TypeSRBM
Place of originNorth Korea
Service history
In service2008–present
Used byKorean People's Army Strategic Force
Specifications
Mass2,010 kg (4,430 lb)[1]
Length6.4 m (21 ft)[1]
Diameter0.65 m (2.1 ft)[1]
Warheadsingle high-explosive, submunition,[1][2] chemical[1]
Warhead weight250 or 485 kg (551 or 1,069 lb)[1]

EngineSolid-propellant rocket
Operational
range
120–170 km (75–106 mi)[1]
Guidance
system
Inertial, optical correlation system[1]
Accuracy100 m (330 ft)[1]
Launch
platform
TEL[1]
Hwasong-11
Hangul
화성-11
RRHwaseong-11
MRHwasŏng-11

The Hwasong-11[2] (Korean: 화성-11; lit. 'Mars 11';[citation needed] US designation: KN-02;[2] US alternate name: Toksa (독사; lit. 'Viper')[a])[3] is a North Korean short-range ballistic missile (SRBM). It is based on the Soviet OTR-21 Tochka SRBM.

Description

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The Hwasong-11 is a short-ranged, solid fuelled, ballistic missile;[4][1] it is North Korea's first solid-fuelled missile.[4] The missile carries one non-nuclear warhead.[4][1][b] It is "far from certain" how well the OTR-21's avionics were copied.[4]

According to the CSIS Missile Defense Project, later versions increased range from 120 km to 170 km.[1] In 2021, a report co-authored by the IISS reported a range of 140 km.[4]

The missile is road-mobile on a transporter erector launcher (TEL).[1] According to the KPA Journal in 2010, the TEL and a transporter with 2-4 missile reloads were based on the MAZ-630308-224 or -243 commercial truck.[6]

History

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North Korea and Syria developed a "missile relationship" in the 1990s which included technical exchanges. Syrian transfers to North Korea included examples of the OTR-21 (possibly in 1994) and technical data in 1996 through a two week visit by Syrian technicians to North Korea.[7] The first Hwasong-11 test in April 2004 failed. The missile reached initial operating capability in 2006-2008,[1] and made its first official appearance at the 2007 Military Foundation Day parade.[6][1]

In March 2014, a South Korean military source claimed that the KN-02's range had been extended to 170 km (110 mi) through improved engine performance. The source also claimed that North Korea possessed 100 missiles with 30 TELs deployed to fire them.[8] In August 2014, three KN-02s were fired out to a range of 220 km (140 mi) and estimated to have 100 m (330 ft) circular error probable accuracy.[9][10]

Operators

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Notes

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  1. Jeffrey Lewis believes that Toska was selected for its similarity to Tochka.[3]
  2. Table 7.9. "North Korean forces with potential nuclear capability, January 2024" of the SIPRI Yearbook 2024 also omits the Hwasong-11.[5]

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 "KN-02 (Toksa)". Missile Threat. Center for Strategic and International Studies. 23 April 2024. Archived from the original on 15 April 2026. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 Center for Energy and Security Studies & International Institute for Strategic Studies 2021, p. 62.
  3. 1 2 Lewis, Jeffrey (5 September 2016). "DPRK Missile Designations". Arms Control Wonk. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Center for Energy and Security Studies & International Institute for Strategic Studies 2021, p. 55.
  5. "7. World nuclear forces". 2024. SIPRI Yearbook. Oxford University Press. 2024. pp. 350–353. ISBN 9780198930570.
  6. 1 2 Bermudez 2010, p. 7.
  7. Bermudez 2010, p. 11.
  8. Kim Eun-jung (5 March 2014). "N. Korea has 100 KN-02 missiles with extended range". Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  9. Grisafi, John G. (16 August 2014). "Recent launches revealed as surface-to-surface missile". NK Pro. NK News. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  10. "N.Korea Fired Ballistic Missiles for Pope's Visit". The Chosun Ilbo. 18 August 2014. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  11. International Institute for Strategic Studies & 2025 268.

Sources

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