Hwasong (missile family)

The Hwasong (Korean화성; lit. Mars), or recently called Hwasongpho (화성포; lit. Mars Artillery) is a North Korean family of ballistic missile.

Description

The Hwasong means Mars in Korean. "Hwasong" also means "powerful", "innovative" or "sacrifice".[1] However, North Korea has not clarified why they name their ballistic missiles after the planet Mars.[2]

According to The Hankyoreh, the missiles in Hwasong series tend to be more complicated and increase in range as the designation number grows.[2]

The Hwasong designation number also indicates the North Korea's missile development timelines.[3]

In North Korea, Hwasong is also the name of a concentration camp.[1]

List of missiles

Official designation Korean name External name(s) Classfication Description
Hwasong-1 《화성-1》형 FROG-5 Rocket artillery Hwasong-1 is the official designation given to locally produced version of Soviet Union's FROG-5 artillery rocket.[4]
Hwasong-2 《화성-2》형 S-75 Surface-to-surface missile Hwasong-2 is the official designation given to surface-to-surface version of S-75 Dvina surface-to-air missile.[5]
Hwasong-3 《화성-3》형 9K52 Luna-M Rocket artillery Hwasong-3 is the official designation given to locally produced 9K52 Luna-M artillery rockets from Soviet Union.[3]
Hwasong-4 《화성-4》형 DF-61 Short-range ballistic missile Hwasong-4 is the official designation given to a North Korean version of DF-61, a Chinese short-range ballistic missile.[6] However, the Hwasong-4/DF-61 project was cancelled.[3]
Hwasong-5 《화성-5》형 Scud-B Short-range ballistic missile Hwasong-5 is a liquid-fueled, short-range ballistic missile. North Korea began testing the missile in 1984. Hwasong-5's range is estimated to be 300 km (190 mi). The Hwasong-5 was reported to be exported to other countries.[7]
Hwasong-6 《화성-6》형 Scud-C Short-range ballistic missile Hwasong-6 is a liquid-fueled, short-range ballistic missile. Its estimated range is 500 km (310 mi). The Hwasong-6 was reported to be exported to other countries.[8]
Hwasong-7 《화성-7》형 Rodong
Nodong
Rodong-1
Nodong-1
Scud-D
Scud Mod-D
Nodong-A
Medium-range ballistic missile Hwasong-7 is a liquid-fueled, medium-range ballistic missile, which was first tested in May 1990. Its estimated range is 500 km (310 mi).[9]
Hwasong-8 《화성-8》형 Unknown Medium-range ballistic missile[10] Hwasong-8 is a liquid-fueled, medium-range ballistic missile ballistic missile, which was first tested in 27 September 2021.[10] Its estimated range is 2,000–4,000 km (1,200–2,500 mi).[11]
Hwasong-9 《화성-9》형 KN-04
Scud-ER
Medium-range ballistic missile Hwasong-9 is a liquid-fueled, medium-range ballistic missile.[12] It is the enlarged version of Hwasong-6, with extended range, up to 1,000 km (620 mi).[13]
Hwasong-10 《화성-10》형 BM-25
Musudan
Medium-range or intermediate-range ballistic missile Hwasong-10 is a liquid-fueled, intermediate-range ballistic missile, with an assumed range of 2,500–4,000 km (1,600–2,500 mi).[14]
Hwasong-11 《화성-11》형 KN-02
Toksa
Short-range ballistic missile Hwasong-11 is a reverse-engineered, locally produced modification of the Soviet's OTR-21 Tochka solid-fueled, short-range ballistic missile. Its maximum range is 120–170 km (75–106 mi). It was first tested in 2006.[15]
Hwasong-11A 《화성-11가》형
《화성포-11가》형
KN-23 Short-range ballistic missile Hwasong-11A is a single-stage, solid-fueled short-range ballistic missile that has an external resemblance to the Russian Iskander-M and South Korean Hyunmoo-2B short-range ballistic missiles,[16] with a maximum range of 900 km (560 mi).[17] Hwasong-11A made its public debut in 2018 and was first test-fired in May 2019.[18]
Hwasong-11B 《화성포-11나》형 KN-24 Short-range ballistic missile Hwasong-11B is a single-stage, solid-fueled short-range ballistic missile that has an external resemblance to the United States's ATACMS. Hwasong-11B has a maximum range of 410 km (250 mi). It was first test-fired in August 2019.[19]
Hwasong-11C 《화성포-11다》형 KN-23A
KN-23B
KN-30
Short-range ballistic missile Hwasong-11C is a single-stage, solid-fueled short-range ballistic missile that is the larger variant of Hwasong-11A with a closely similar design.[20][21] First tested in March 2021, the missile's range is assumed to be about 600 km (370 mi).[22] A larger version, called Hwasong-11C-4.5, was first test-fired in July 2024.[23]
Hwasong-11D 《화성포-11라》형 KN-35[24] Tactical ballistic missile
Short-range ballistic missile
Hwasong-11D is a single-stage, solid-fueled, short-range ballistic missile that is the smaller variant of Hwasong-11A.[25] Made its public debut in April 2022,[22] the missile's assumed range is similar to original Hwasong-11.[26]
Hwasong-11S 《화성포-11ㅅ》형 KN-33[24] Submarine-launched ballistic missile Hwasong-11S is a solid-fueled submarine-launched ballistic missile that is the underwater-launched variant of Hwasong-11A.[25] First displayed and first tested both in October 2021,[27][28] the missile's reported range is about 600 km (370 mi).[29]
Hwasong-12 《화성-12》형
《화성포-12》형
KN-17 Intermediate-range ballistic missile Hwasong-12 is a liquid-fueled, intermediate-range ballistic missile that have the first successful test in May 2017, with estimated range of 4,500 km (2,800 mi).[30]
Hwasong-12A[a] 《화성-12가》형[a] Hypersonic Missile Type 2[31] Medium-range or intermediate-range ballistic missile[10] Hwasong-12A is presumed to be the official designation for a North Korean single-stage, liquid-fueled, hypersonic ballistic missile.[32][33] Tested twice in January 2022,[10] the estimated range of Hwasong-12A is over 2,000 km (1,200 mi).[11]
Hwasong-12B 《화성-12나》형 Unknown Intermediate-range ballistic missile Hwasong-12B is a North Korean single-stage, liquid-fueled hypersonic, intermediate-range ballistic missile that was first displayed in July 2023.[21] Its range is estimated to be over 6,000 km (3,700 mi).[34]
Hwasong-13 《화성-13》형 KN-08 (2012 version)
KN-14 (2015 version)
Intermediate-range or intercontinental ballistic missile Hwasong-13 is the officially-called generic name to describe two liquid-fueled, road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missiles, called KN-08 and KN-14 by the United States. The two never-deployed missile variants have an estimated range of 8,000–10,000 km (5,000–6,200 mi).[35]
Hwasong-14 《화성-14》형 KN-20 Intercontinental ballistic missile Hwasong-14 is a liquid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missile that was tested twice in July 2017. The missile's estimated maximum range is more than 10,400 km (6,500 mi).[36]
Hwasong-15 《화성-15》형
《화성포-15》형
KN-22 Intercontinental ballistic missile Hwasong-15 is a liquid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missile that was first tested in November 2017. Its estimated maximum range is more than 13,000 km (8,100 mi).[37] Hwasong-15 also has a modified version, which was tested in November 2022.[38]
Hwasong-16A[a] 《화성-16가》형[a] Unknown Intermediate-range ballistic missile Hwasong-16A is presumed to be the official designation for a solid-fueled hypersonic, intermediate-range ballistic missile, first tested in January 2024.[32][39][40]
Hwasong-16B 《화성포-16나》형 Unknown Intermediate-range ballistic missile Hwasong-16B is a two-stage, solid-fueled, intermediate-range ballistic missile capable of carrying hypersonic glide vehicle, first tested in April 2024.[41]
Hwasong-17 《화성포-17》형 KN-27 Intercontinental ballistic missile Hwasong-17 is a two-stage, liquid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missile that was first displayed in October 2020 and first tested in March 2022.[42] Its estimated range is 15,000 km (9,300 mi).[43]
Hwasong-18 《화성포-18》형 Unknown Intercontinental ballistic missile Hwasong-18 is a three-stage, solid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missile that was first tested in April 2023, with an assumed range of 15,000 km (9,300 mi).[44]
Hwasong-19 《화성포-19》형 Unknown Intercontinental ballistic missile Hwasong-19 is a three-stage, solid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missile that was first tested in October 2024. Its assumed range is at least 15,000 km (9,300 mi).[45][46]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d Presumed official designation.

References

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