Hyunmoo 2 Short-range ballistic missile

[Zarvan]

The Hyunmoo 2 is one of the South Korea's key components to counter North Korean missile attacks



Hyunmoo 2A
Country of origin South Korea
Entered service 2008
Crew 3 men
Launcher dimensions and weight
Weight ?
Length ?
Width ?
Height ?
Missile
Missile length ~ 7.2 m
Missile diameter ~ 0.95 m
Fin span ?
Missile launch weight ?
Warhead weight ~ 500 kg
Warhead type Conventional
Range of fire ~ 300 km
CEP 30 ~ 70 m
Mobility
Engine diesel
Engine power ?
Maximum road speed ~ 70 km/h
Range ~ 1 000 km
Maneuverability
Gradient 45%
Side slope 30%
Vertical step ~ 0.6 m
Trench ~ 2 m
Fording ~ 1.2 m


The Hyunmoo 2 is a South Korean short-range ballistic missile. The name Hyunmoo literally means "Guardian of the Northern Sky", hinting North Korea. Despite its name the Hyunmoo 2 is unrelated to the original Hyunmoo, that is a modified surface-to-surface version of US Hike Hercules air defense missile, or the Hyunmoo 3, which is a totally different cruise missile.

Development of this missile commenced in the late 1990s. It was and indigenous South Korean ballistic missile program. The program was kept in high secrecy as the South Korea had been bond by a 1979 agreement with Washington no to build missiles with a range greater than 179 km. In 2001 the South Korean government announced it would develop and deploy new missiles with a range of up to 300 km and a payload of up to 500 kg. During the same year South Korea joined the global Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) that prevents proliferation of ballistic missile technology. The Hyunmoo 2 was developed with Russian assistance and is essentially a South Korean version of the Iskander-E. Even though Russia historically supplied weapons and technologies to North Korea, it is not the first case, when advanced Russian weapon technology is being transferred to South Korea. Another notable example is a KM-SAM, or Cheolmae 2, air defense missile system, which is a simplified version of the Russian S-400. The Hyunmoo 2 ballistic missile is operational since 2008. In 2009, soon after its introduction of the original Hyunmoo 2, an improved and more capable Hyunmoo 2B was introduced. By 2009 around 100 of Hyunmoo 2 missile systems were operational. The Hyunmoo 2 was first publicly revealed in 2013. These ballistic missiles are one of the key South Korean military assets to counter North Korean possible missile attacks.

The Hyunmoo 2 is a road-mobile system. The launcher vehicle is equipped with a short-range ballistic missile. The solid-fuel missile missile is carried in a square launcher/container. These missiles can strike important enemy targets, such as missile sites, concentration of troops and equipment, as well as command posts. This ballistic missile can be used as an alternative to precision bombing.

The baseline Hyunmoo 2 missile has a range of 300 km and can carry 500 kg of payload. Minimum range of this ballistic missile is 50 km. The Russian Iskander-E has a slightly inferior performance with a maximum range of 280 km and can carry 480 kg of payload. Even though this Russian missile could travel further its range was deliberately limited by fitting smaller fuel tanks to meet the MTCR restrictions. This was essential in order to export Iskander missiles to other countries. Range of the baseline Hyunmoo 2 is sufficient to cover most of the North Korean territory. In 2009, an improved and more capable Hyunmoo 2B was introduced in South Korea. This missile had larger fuel tanks and a range of 500 km.

The Hyunmoo 2 missile can carry various conventional warheads. The Russian Iskander-E is being offered with several different conventional warheads, including cluster, fuel-air explosive, bunker-busting and electro-magnetic pulse. The South Korean Hyunmoo 2 demonstrated use of bunker-busting warhead. This missile can also potentially carry nuclear or chemical warheads. Even though currently the South Korea in under US nuclear umbrella of protection, this country has all the necessary materials resources and technology to develop indigenous nuclear weapons in a time frame of just six months to three years. In fact the South Korea made several covert studies and experiments before in order to create indigenous nuclear weapons. Also in the mid 1990s this country was strongly suspected of possessing chemical weapons. It appeared that this country had a chemical weapons stockpile, though these were destructed in 2008 under the Chemical Weapons Convention. South Korea has all resources and technologies to build chemical weapons fairly easily. So in theory the Hyunmoo 2 missiles have potential to be fitted with chemical and nuclear warheads if the South Korea decides so.

Also for a number of years South Korea had an agreement with the United States not to develop ballistic missiles with payload exceeding 500 kg. However in 2017 President Trump agreed to lift the 500 kg limit of South Korea's missile warheads to 1 000 kg. So in the near future a number of new South Korean missiles will appear including the Hyunmoo 4 with a range of around 500 km and payload capacity of 1 000 kg.

The Hyunmoo 2 ballistic missile has inertial guidance system with GPS update. Most likely that this South Korean missile has a much more advanced guidance system than the Russian Iskander-E and has pinpoint accuracy. The Hyunmoo 2 missile is capable of hitting moving targets, as target coordinates can be updated while the missile is in flight. The missile travels at supersonic speed. In the terminal phase of the flight it excessively maneuvers and releases decoys in order to overcome hostile air defense systems.

This ballistic missile can be launched in around 16 minutes from traveling or around 4 minutes from highest readiness.

The Hyunmoo 2 Transport-Erector-Launcher (TEL) vehicle uses an 8x8 high mobility chassis. It is fitted with an armored cab, which provides protection for the crew against small arms fire and artillery shell splinters.

Each Hyunmoo 2 TEL vehicle is supported by an associated reloading vehicle, which carries reload missiles. Also there are some other associated vehicles, such as command post vehicle, maintenance and repair vehicles, and so on.

Interestingly China also developed a similar missile system, based on Iskander-E technology, called the M20. Launcher vehicle of the M20 carries two ballistic missile. This capability substantially increases firepower of missile units. Furthermore each of two missiles can be aimed at different targets. This Chinese missile system is being offered for export customers.



Variants



Hyunmoo 2A is a South Korean version of the Russian Iskander-E. It has a range of 300 km and can carry 500 kg of payload. Its range is sufficient to cover most of the North Korean territory. This missile is operational since 2008.

Hyunmoo 2B is an improved version of the Hyunmoo 2A, developed in South Korea. Its range was extended to 500 km and it can carry 500 kg of payload. Range of this missile is sufficient to cover all of the North Korean territory. It can also strike Some Chinese border areas that are close to South Korea, as well as some areas of Japan. This missile is operational since 2009.

Hyunmoo 2C is the latest version. It has a range of around 800 km and can carry around 500 kg of payload. This missile can cover all North Korean territory, reach Chinese and Russian border areas that are close to South Korea, and covers significant Japan's territory. The missile is carried by a 5-axle launcher vehicle. It was first tested in 2017.


http://www.military-today.com/missiles/hyunmoo_2.htm