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North Koreas SS-21 Clone
October 16, 2007: North Korea test fired another of
its KN-02 ballistic missiles last Summer. This weapon is a modified SS-21
Russian system, originally introduced in 1976. Russia still maintains a force
of 300 SS-21 launchers (a special truck design for carrying and launching one
missile). Syria apparently sold North Korea some SS-21 launchers and missiles
in 1996, for the purpose of allowing North Korea to copy the design. Russia
continues to refine the SS-21 design. The original model had a range of 70
kilometers, but the current one is said to go for 120 kilometers, or maybe as
much as 185 kilometers (and still able to use the original launcher vehicle.)
The original SS-21 weighed two tons and carried a half ton warhead. Russia
still sells SS-21s ( the 120 kilometers
version) to foreign nations. North Korea
is believed to be building the 120 kilometer range version, which means they
have mastered solid fuel rocket technology. This is not particularly difficult
technology, but requires exacting manufacturing procedures. Solid fuel rocket
motors are easier to handle, and have a shelf life of 10-15 years, if you make
them right. The SS-21 also has a good guidance system, which puts the missile
within about a hundred meters of the aiming point. It is believed that the
North Koreans would use their SS-21s to hit the new American bases being built
further south of the DMZ, where they were moved to get out of range of North
Koreas artillery. North Korea sells about a hundred missiles a year to
customers like Iran, Syria and Yemen. These sales are a major source of hard
currency.
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