Summary
The Hyunmoo-3 is a cruise missile fielded by the South Korean military designed by Agency for Defense Development (ADD). The name Hyunmoo (Korean: 현무) comes from a mythical beast[4] described as the "Guardian of the Northern Sky", perhaps hinting North Korea.
| Hyunmoo-3 cruise missile | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Long-range, all-weather cruise missile Land-attack missile Surface-to-surface missile Submarine-launched cruise missile |
| Place of origin | South Korea |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2006-present (3A)[1] 2009-present (3B)[1] 2012-present (3C)[1] |
| Used by | Republic of Korea Army Republic of Korea Navy |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Agency for Defense Development LIG Nex1 |
| Manufacturer | LIG Nex1 , Hanwha Techwin Samsung for engine |
| Variants | Hyunmoo-3A Hyunmoo-3B Hyunmoo-3C Hyunmoo-3D |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 1.5 tons (3A)[2] |
| Length | 6 meters (19 feet) (3A)[2] |
| Diameter | 0.53-0.60 m[1] |
| Warhead | Conventional: 500 kg conventional explosive |
| Engine | Samsung Hanwha Techwin (or Daewoo Doosan) (SSM-760K ?) turbofan[2] |
Operational range | Hyunmoo-3A - 500 km Hyunmoo-3B - 1,000 km Hyunmoo-3C - 1,500 km Hyunmoo-3D - 3,000 km |
| Maximum speed | Mach 1.2 [3] |
Guidance system | INS, GPS, Terrain Contour Matching[2][4] |
Design and development edit
As a signatory of the multilateral Missile Technology Control Regime, South Korea agrees to refrain from importing a non-indigenous ballistic missile with a warhead larger than 500 kg, or a range of more than 300 km.[5] In addition, a bilateral agreement between the ROK and US limits indigenous South Korean produced missiles to no more than 500 miles (800 km) in range, and warheads no larger than 1,100 pounds (500 kg). (In September 2017, the presidents of the ROK and the US agreed "in principle" to lift these bilateral limits, increasing the possibility of a longer-range, more powerful Hyunmoo-4 in the future.)[6]
Therefore, a heavy emphasis was put on developing long-range cruise missiles by the South Korean government. With the introduction of Hyunmoo-3, the Republic of Korea Army created the Missile Command in order to efficiently manage these missiles.
Despite the name, the Hyunmoo-3 bears no resemblance to the previous Hyunmoo SSM, which were improved versions of Nike Hercules surface-to-air missiles that were converted into short-range high-speed surface-to-surface ballistic missiles in response to North Korea's Scud-B and Nodong-1 missile threats. Instead, the new missile's designs are strikingly similar to the United States Tomahawk cruise missile. It is powered by a turbofan engine, and has a maximum payload of 500 kilograms (1,100 lb) of conventional explosive. The guidance systems consist of inertial guidance system and global positioning system.
Variants edit
Hyunmoo-3A, which was nicknamed "Eagle-1" (독수리-1) during the testing, has a range of 500 km, while Hyunmoo-3B, nicknamed "Eagle-2" (독수리-2) Cheonryong (천룡 순항 미사일), has a range of 1,000 kilometres (620 mi). Hyunmoo-3C, or "Eagle-3" (독수리-3), will be capable of striking its target up to 1,500 km (930 mi) away. This is a significant improvement from Hyunmoo I which had a range of 180 km (110 mi) and Hyunmoo-2A, which only has a range of 300 km (190 mi), both of which were ballistic and not cruise missiles.
Sejong the Great-class destroyers and KSS-III-class submarines will be equipped with these Chonryong[7][8] submarine-launched cruise missiles inside their K-VLS cells.[2]
A Hyunmoo-3B air-launched cruise missile with over 500 km (310 mi) range exists and it is called Boramae.[2][8][7]
A submarine-launched cruise missile called the Haeseong III is designed to be launched underwater from submarines.[9] It is actually the designation for the Hyunmoo-3 cruise missile when launched from a submarine and is unrelated to the SSM-700K Haeseong missile design.[10]
Operators edit
South Korea
- Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin-class destroyer (KDX-II)[11]
- Sejong the Great-class destroyer (KDX-III)[12]
- Son Won-il-class submarine (KSS-II)[10]
References edit
- ^ a b c d "Hyunmoo-3". Missile Threat CSIS Missile Defense Project. Center for Strategic and International Studies. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f "Hyunmoo Missiles – Seoul Going Ballistic - Defense Update". defense-update.com. 22 April 2012. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
- ^ "korean tactical missiles". Korean Defense Media Agency Blog. July 19, 2016.
- ^ a b Pike, John. "GLCM - Hyunmoo III / ALCM - Boramae / SLCM - Chonryong / Cheon Ryong / Ch'onnyong (Sky Dragon)". www.globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
- ^ "Commission to Assess the Ballistic Missile Threat to the United States".
- ^ "New South Korean Missile Would Target North's Bunkers, Long-Range Artillery". Defense Tech. October 25, 2017. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
- ^ a b "S.Korea's Cruise Missile Program Revealed". chosun.com. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
- ^ a b Pike, John. "GLCM - Hyunmoo III / ALCM - Boramae / SLCM - Chonryong / Cheon Ryong / Ch'onnyong (Sky Dragon)". globalsecurity.org. Archived from the original on 13 October 2017. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
- ^ S.Korea Unveils Homegrown Cruise Missiles - Chosun.com, 15 February 2013
- ^ a b South Korean Navy conducts test-launch Haeseong III cruise missile from Son Won II-class Type 214 submarine. Navy Recognition. 3 October 2020.
- ^ "ROK Ministry of National Defense releases video footages of DDH-II Class Destroyers".
- ^ "Sejong the Great Sejongdaewang KDX-III Class AEGIS Destroyer Republic of Korea ROK Navy 세종대왕급 구축함 Yulgok Yi I Seoae Yu Seong-ryong Hyundai Heavy Industries HHI DSME 대한민국 해군 datasheet pictures photos video specifications".
