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Musudan (missile)
Encyclopedia
The Taepodong X, also known under the names Nodong / Rodong-B, Mirim and BM25 Musudan is a mobile intermediate-range ballistic missile
developed by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, based on Soviet Union's R-27 Zyb. The missile probably makes up the 2nd stage of Taepodong-2
, a fixed-launch-platform ICBM
. The Taepodong X was first revealed to the international community in a military parade on 10 October 2010 celebrating the Korean Worker's Party's 65th anniversary.
, North Korea invited the Makeyev Design Bureau
's ballistic missile designers and engineers to develop this missile, based on the R-27 Zyb.
It was decided that, as the Korean People's Army
's MAZ-547A/MAZ-7916 Transporter erector launcher
could carry 20 tonnes, and the R-27 Zyb was only 14.2 tonnes, the R-27 Zyb's fuel/oxidizer tank could be extended by approximately 1.7 m.http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/dprk/images/nkir6.jpg Additionally, the warhead was reduced from a three-warhead MIRV to a single warhead.
It was estimated that, as a result of the tank extension and warhead replacement, the missile's range was approximately 3,200-4,000 km, an improvement on the R-27U's 3,000 km.
The actual rocket design is a liquid fuel rocket using a hypergolic combination of unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine as fuel, and inhibited red fuming nitric acid
as oxidizer; this fuel/oxidizer combination does not vaporise like liquified hydrogen
/oxygen
gas at 35°C. As a result, once the fuel/oxidizer combination were fed into the missile, it could maintain a 'ready to launch' condition for several days, or even weeks, like the R-27 SLBM; however it could not be kept longer than this, because of tank corrosion caused by the red fuming nitric acid.
Musudan's rocket motors originally made up either the 1st or 2nd stage of the Taepodong-2
, which North Korea test fired in 2006. However, this launch was not successful. The TD-2 first demonstrated a successful test launch on July 5, 2009, proving the reliability of the Musudan missile.
According to other sources though, the Taepodong-X missile, with a range of up to 4,000 kilometers, is a solid-fuel missile, not a liquid-fuel one, and is still in development as of 2009. However, 16 launchers with missiles were displayed in the 10 October 2010 military parade, the largest in the country's history.
Section 25 of this leaked cable says:
Intermediate-range ballistic missile
An intermediate-range ballistic missile is a ballistic missile with a range of 3,000–5,500 km , between a medium-range ballistic missile and an intercontinental ballistic missile...
developed by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, based on Soviet Union's R-27 Zyb. The missile probably makes up the 2nd stage of Taepodong-2
Taepodong-2
The Taepodong-2 is a designation used to indicate a North Korean two or three-stage ballistic missile design that is the successor to the Taepodong-1.-Details:...
, a fixed-launch-platform ICBM
Intercontinental ballistic missile
An intercontinental ballistic missile is a ballistic missile with a long range typically designed for nuclear weapons delivery...
. The Taepodong X was first revealed to the international community in a military parade on 10 October 2010 celebrating the Korean Worker's Party's 65th anniversary.
Development
In the mid-1990s, after the collapse of the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, North Korea invited the Makeyev Design Bureau
Makeyev Rocket Design Bureau
The Makeyev Design Bureau is a Russian missile design company located at in Miass, Russia. Opened in December 1947 as SKB-385, the company is the main designer of submarine-launched ballistic missiles in Russia. The organization was named in honor of Victor Makeyev. Its full official name is...
's ballistic missile designers and engineers to develop this missile, based on the R-27 Zyb.
It was decided that, as the Korean People's Army
Korean People's Army
The Korean People's Army , also known as the Inmin Gun, are the military forces of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Kim Jong-il is the Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army and Chairman of the National Defence Commission...
's MAZ-547A/MAZ-7916 Transporter erector launcher
Transporter erector launcher
A transporter erector launcher is a vehicle with an integrated prime mover that can carry, elevate to firing position and launch one or more missiles. Such vehicles exist for both surface-to-air missiles and surface-to-surface missiles...
could carry 20 tonnes, and the R-27 Zyb was only 14.2 tonnes, the R-27 Zyb's fuel/oxidizer tank could be extended by approximately 1.7 m.http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/dprk/images/nkir6.jpg Additionally, the warhead was reduced from a three-warhead MIRV to a single warhead.
It was estimated that, as a result of the tank extension and warhead replacement, the missile's range was approximately 3,200-4,000 km, an improvement on the R-27U's 3,000 km.
The actual rocket design is a liquid fuel rocket using a hypergolic combination of unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine as fuel, and inhibited red fuming nitric acid
Red fuming nitric acid
Red fuming nitric acid is a storable oxidizer used as a rocket propellant. It consists mainly of nitric acid , also containing 13% dinitrogen tetroxide and 3% water. The dissolved nitrogen dioxide is very concentrated and can be found at room temperature...
as oxidizer; this fuel/oxidizer combination does not vaporise like liquified hydrogen
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. With an average atomic weight of , hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element, constituting roughly 75% of the Universe's chemical elemental mass. Stars in the main sequence are mainly...
/oxygen
Oxygen
Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...
gas at 35°C. As a result, once the fuel/oxidizer combination were fed into the missile, it could maintain a 'ready to launch' condition for several days, or even weeks, like the R-27 SLBM; however it could not be kept longer than this, because of tank corrosion caused by the red fuming nitric acid.
Musudan's rocket motors originally made up either the 1st or 2nd stage of the Taepodong-2
Taepodong-2
The Taepodong-2 is a designation used to indicate a North Korean two or three-stage ballistic missile design that is the successor to the Taepodong-1.-Details:...
, which North Korea test fired in 2006. However, this launch was not successful. The TD-2 first demonstrated a successful test launch on July 5, 2009, proving the reliability of the Musudan missile.
According to other sources though, the Taepodong-X missile, with a range of up to 4,000 kilometers, is a solid-fuel missile, not a liquid-fuel one, and is still in development as of 2009. However, 16 launchers with missiles were displayed in the 10 October 2010 military parade, the largest in the country's history.
Description and technical specifications
The North Korean R-27 copy exists in two variants—a land-based and a sea-based variant. Current deployment numbers of either variant remains unknown.Musudan
- Launch weight: 20,654 kg
- Diameter: 1.50 m
- Total Length: 12 m
- Payload: 1,000 kg
- Warhead: single
- Maximum range: 3,000–4,000 km
- CEPCircular error probableIn the military science of ballistics, circular error probable is an intuitive measure of a weapon system's precision...
: 1.3 km - Launch platform: North Korean-produced TEL, resembling a stretched and modified MAZ-543; cargo ships or modified submarines
Operators
: According to one source, more than 200; other source claims 12 deployed.: 19, according to a leaked, classified U.S. State Department cable.Section 25 of this leaked cable says:
Russia said that during its presentations in Moscow and its
comments thus far during the current talks, the U.S. has
discussed the BM-25 as an existing system. Russia questioned
the basis for this assumption and asked for any facts the
U.S. had to provide its existence such as launches, photos,
etc. For Russia, the BM-25 is a mysterious missile. North
Korea has not conducted any tests of this missile, but the
U.S. has said that North Korea transferred 19 of these
missiles to Iran. It is hard for Russia to follow the logic
trail on this. Since Russia has not seen any evidence of
this missile being developed or tested, it is hard for Russia
to imagine that Iran would buy an untested system. Russia
does not understand how a deal would be made for an untested
missile. References to the missile's existence are more in
the domain of political literature than technical fact. In
short, for Russia, there is a question about the existence of
this system.