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The old Soviet SS-N-6 sub-launched ballistic missiles known as the model for the North Korea¡¯s newly developed missiles.
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The British military journal Jane's Defense Weekly reported Tuesday that North Korea is developing and deploying two new kinds of missile systems that would give North Korea the ability to threaten the U.S. mainland for the first time.
The magazine reported that the missiles are based on the old Soviet R-27 sub-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM), designated the SSN6 by NATO. It is developing both ground-launched and sea-launched versions, and the missiles have ranges of at least 2,500km.
In particular, the magazine said the missiles under development represent a completely new design from the Taepodong 1 and Taepodong-2 missile designs.
Jane's said the ground-launched model could have a range of between 2,500km and 4,000km, bringing into range all of East Asia, including U.S. bases in Hawaii and Guam, while the sea-launched version has a range of at least 2,500km.
The magazine said the ground-launched and sea-launched missiles magnifies the threat posed by North Korea's ballistic missiles, and indicated that sub-launched or ship-launched versions would represent the greatest threat.
It said the missiles fundamentally change the threat posed by North Korean missiles, while at the same time possibly giving the North Korean leadership the long sought-after ability to directly threaten the U.S. mainland.
U.S. officials had previously claimed last November that the North Koreans were developing missiles based on the Soviet SSN6 that could strike the United States.
Jane's said North Korea obtained 12 decommissioned Russian submarines from a Japanese scrap dealer in 1993, and the North may have obtained important elements for the development of these missiles from the R-21 missile launch systems that were aboard those subs.
The magazine said the Russian subs were sold with their missiles and launch systems removed, but important elements like the missile launch tubes and safety systems were left intact, and this technology was provided to the North along with designs for the R-27.
The magazine also said specialists from Russia's VP Makeyev Design Bureau in Miass, Chelyabinsk were arrested in 1992 as they were heading to North Korea. Makeyev Design Bureau developed the R-27. It added that other groups of missile experts had successfully made it to the North.
Meanwhile, Jane's said there has been no word of attempts by North Korea to sell this new missile system to other countries.
The magazine said the United States, Russia, Great Britain, France and China possess sub-launched nuclear weapons, while Israel is presumed to possess similar capabilities.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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