North Korea Allegedly Tests New Controlled Rocket Artillery Shell and Ballistic Control System

Tuesday - February 13 2024, 10:37 UTC - 9 months ago

North Korea claims to have tested a new controlled rocket artillery shell and ballistic control system, which it believes will dramatically improve its military capabilities. However, experts have expressed doubts about the actual capabilities of the new artillery, as images show no canards on the rocket tips. While this development may benefit North Korea's arms trade and weapons export industry, Seoul may not be too concerned as the new artillery poses a limited threat compared to Pyongyang's existing short-range ballistic missiles and artillery. Canards are essential for precision-guided rockets and missiles to maintain control and stability in flight.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has allegedly tested a new controlled rocket artillery shell and ballistic control system, according to a report from the North Korean Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on February 10. The 240mm controlled rocket was tested by the Academy of Defense Development, and was reportedly fired to evaluate its accuracy and prove its advantages, with no further information given about the system's capabilities or test performance. However, KCNA claimed that the academy was confident that the new 240mm multiple rocket launcher would dramatically improve the nation's military capabilities.

Images released by KCNA show a 22-tube setup on a transporter-erector-launcher (TEL), which is similar to North Korea's existing capabilities. Military analysts speculate that North Korea may be using this new artillery as a bargaining chip in its aim to expand its arms trade and weapons export industry. According to Yang Uk, a military analyst at Seoul's Asan Institute for Policy Studies, the new artillery could prove more useful for striking military objectives than civilian or psychological targets.

This news comes amid increasing war rhetoric against South Korea, and the potential deployment of more powerful weapons near the demilitarized zone on the peninsula. However, experts believe that Seoul will not be too concerned about this new artillery, as it poses a limited threat compared to Pyongyang's existing KN-23 short-range ballistic missiles and 600mm artillery.

Yang Uk also expressed doubts about North Korea's claims regarding the new artillery, pointing out that the state media's low-resolution images show no canards on the rocket tips, unlike the 300mm and 600mm precision-guided rockets. Canards are crucial for precision-guided rockets and missiles to maintain control and stability in flight. Depending on the design, it may be a fixed, movable, or variable surface and may or may not have control surfaces incorporated into it.

While KCNA emphasized the system's significance for North Korea's military, the development of new artillery shells could also benefit the country's arms trade. Reports indicate that North Korea has been improving its rocket and missile technologies to expand its range and strike precision targets. This new artillery may be a result of these advancements and could also be developed for export purposes, given North Korea's history of arms trade and exports.