
A partially-covered Musudan ballistic missile during a parade. Source.
Updated 8/9/2017 to reflect recent ICBM tests and new intelligence reports. Note that the designations for many missiles are still tentative.
The following table lists various attributes of ballistic missiles in the North Korean inventory. Since North Korea is secluded and its equipment is poorly documented, the precise values for range, payload etc. are speculative and tend to vary by source. This table excludes the Taepodong-1, Taepodong-2, and Unha-series rockets, which are technology demonstrators not intended for military deployment.
NOTE: Most of these missiles are launched from land-based transporter-erector-launchers. A 2013 report pegged the North Korean TEL count at around 200, but the figure has almost certainly grown since then. TELs are reloadable, but their survivability after one launch sequence is dubious considering the significant visual and auditory signatures of a missile launch. Some of these missiles also have long fueling sequences that would expose their TELs to preemptive strikes. Also note that, in order to deliver a nuclear payload with any of these missiles, North Korean engineers would have to produce a miniaturized nuclear warhead — experts differ on how far along North Korea is in this process. Update: as of August 2017, American intelligence experts seem to have concluded that North Korea is capable of producing miniaturized fission warheads.
Name (alternates in parenthesis) | Type | Fuel | Range | Payload | Circular error probable | Quantity deployed and notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Toka (KN-02) | TBM | Solid | 170km | 250-485kg | 100m 160m | >100 with 30 TELs, TEL reloads in 15 minutes |
Hwasong-5 (Scud B) | SRBM | Liquid | 280-330km 300km | 985kg | 450m | 250, >12-15 launchers 300 built, 120 exported |
Hwasong-6 (Scud C) | SRBM | Liquid | 500-700km 500km | 700-770kg | 1000m | 250 200-400 |
Hwasong-7 (Scud ER) | SRBM | Liquid | 1000km | 500kg | 50m Dubious, no other sources for this figure | Significant disparities between estimates (from handful to hundreds) |
Rodong (Nodong) | MRBM | Liquid | 1350-1500km 1000-1500km | 1000kg | 1000-2000 m | 175-200 |
KN-17 | MRBM | Liquid | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown, supposedly fitted with a maneuverable warhead | Not yet deployed; first test April 2017 (successful). |
Musudan (Hwasong-10, BM-25, Rodong-B) | IRBM | Liquid | 2500-4000 km | 500-1200 kg | 1600 m | Not yet deployed; has repeatedly failed launch tests |
Pukguksong-1 (KN-11) | SLBM | Solid | 1250 km low estimate 2000-2500 km South Korean estimate | Unknown, probably sufficient for a nuclear warhead | Unknown | Unknown, but multiple successful tests imply deployment could be imminent |
Pukguksong-2 | IRBM according to DoD | Solid | 2500-3000 km American intelligence classification as IRBM implies potential for greater range | Unknown, probably sufficient for a nuclear warhead | Unknown | Not yet deployed; recently unveiled and only one successful test |
Hwasong-12 | IRBM | Liquid | 4500 km | Unknown | Unknown | Possibly a shortened version of the KN-08 (Hwasong-13). Tested four times; first three failures, last success. Based on this, likely not yet deployed |
KN-08 (Hwasong-13, Rodong-C) | ICBM | Liquid | 6000 km 5500-11500 km | 500-1000 kg | Unknown | Not yet deployed; tests to begin soon according to North Korea |
KN-14 | ICBM | Liquid | 8,000-10,000 km | Unknown, probably similar to KN-08 | Unknown | According to Missile Threat, an improved variant of the KN-08 with a more robust airframe. Potentially increased range as well. Not yet test fired, so deployment is unlikely. |
Hwasong-14 | ICBM | Liquid | 10,000 km possible based on most recent tests | Unknown | Unknown | Two-stage missile, the first stage of which is a Hwasong-12 airframe; North Korea was likely using the Hwasong-12 as a testbed. Range places mainland US in reach. Has been successfully tested, possibly deployed as an emergency capability. |
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