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China-Japan-Koreas
N. Korea Test-Fires Short-Range Missiles
2012-03-31
North Korea apparently test-fired two KN-01 short-range surface-to-ship missiles on its west coast on Thursday.
Did they manage to hit the ocean?
The KN-01 has a range of around 120 km and is an upgraded version of China's Silkworm missile, which has a maximum range of around 95 km, and was developed in the late 1990s. It is designed to attack U.S. landing vessels and aircraft carrier groups if they attempt to land on North Korean territory.

A military source here said it seems that the North was testing the capacity of the KN-01 and that the test launch is not related to the regime's upcoming rocket launch. But military officers believe North Korea test-fired the KN-01 as a warning to the South Korean and U.S. military, which have deployed more ships in the West Sea recently.

When North Korea conducted its nuclear test on May 25, 2009, the North also fired two KN-01 missiles near Hamhung, South Hamgyong Province. In January this year, it fired three KN-02 surface-to-surface missiles along the east coast and two more short-range missiles toward the East Sea on Dec. 19 last year, when it announced the death of former leader Kim Jong-il.
Posted by:Steve White

#3  Yeah, they might be hit by 3 working demo missiles.
Posted by: Skidmark   2012-03-31 16:24  

#2  probably not a good idea to land an aircraft carrier group on North Korean territory
Posted by: Frank G   2012-03-31 08:48  

#1  Interesting they are firing 2-3 missiles each time.
Wonder if that is execution protocol, for a primary and secondary weapon delivery initiated by local command, or an exercise of C&C as two separate orders?
Wonder if there were primary and secondary targets? Or any. Maybe these were just C&C launch tests.
Wonder if the target telemetry uploads were realtime feeds thru C&C or preprogrammed.
Wonder if ease/west seas and east/west costal defense are centrally coordinated?
Maybe this testing is sequenced as new C&C systems are brought online.
Posted by: Skidmark   2012-03-31 08:29  

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