A List of North Korean Ballistic Missiles

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 170km250-485kg100m
160m
>100 with 30 TELs, TEL reloads in 15 minutes
Hwasong-5
(Scud B)
SRBM Liquid 280-330km
300km
985kg450m250, >12-15 launchers
300 built, 120 exported
Hwasong-6
(Scud C)
SRBM Liquid 500-700km
500km
700-770kg1000m250
200-400
Hwasong-7
(Scud ER)
SRBM Liquid 1000km500kg50m
Dubious, no other sources for this figure
Significant disparities between estimates (from handful to hundreds)
Rodong
(Nodong)
MRBM Liquid 1350-1500km
1000-1500km
1000kg1000-2000 m175-200
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 km500-1200 kg1600 mNot 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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