| Submit your comments on this article |
| China-Japan-Koreas |
| North Korea’s SINPO-class Sub: New Evidence of Possible Vertical Missile Tubes |
| 2015-01-09 |
| Recent commercial satellite imagery indicates that the conning tower of a new North Korean submarine first seen in July 2014 houses 1-2 possible vertical launch tubes for either ballistic or cruise missiles. The boat could serve as an experimental test bed for land-attack missile technology, which if successful, may be integrated into a new class of submarines. In addition, imagery over the past six months indicates that North Korea has been upgrading facilities at the Sinpo South Shipyard in preparation for a significant naval construction program, possibly related to submarine development. North Korea’s development of a submarine-launched missile capability would eventually expand Pyongyang’s threat to South Korea, Japan and US bases in East Asia, also complicating regional missile defense planning, deployment and operations. Submarines carrying land-attack missiles would be challenging to locate and track, would be mobile assets able to attack from any direction, and could operate at significant distances from the Korean peninsula. Nevertheless, such a threat is not present today. Moreover, an effort by Pyongyang to develop an operational missile-carrying submarine would be an expensive and time-consuming endeavor with no guarantee of success. Moreover, North Korea’s development of an operational missile-carrying submarine would be an expensive and time-consuming endeavor with no guarantee of success.[3] Building a naval ballistic missile (or even a modified naval version of a surface-to-surface missile) would present new and unique engineering challenges. North Korean missile designers and naval architects have no technical experience with the requirements for installing and launching such a weapon from a submarine. |
| Posted by:Pappy |
| #4 On the conning tower? It's possible that the NorKs are using the sail (correct term for 'conning tower') as a test platform, because it doesn't involve making modifications to the hull itself - something that the NorKs may not have the capability to do. The NorKs subs have been derivations of Yugoslavian designs, but I suspect that most the newest one is likely an Iranian redesign. It's also possible that this work is part of a project for evaluating quick-modification of existing submarines with missile capability, perhaps on behalf of the Iranians. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2015-01-09 11:40 |
| #3 The SAM is usually mounted on one of the extendable masts, well according to Harpoon anyway. :) There was a plan to mount a Stinger to the periscope of the Advanced 688 class, but I don't think anything came of it, or maybe it did, who knows? |
| Posted by: Shipman 2015-01-09 10:37 |
| #2 On the conning tower? What about SAMs? Biggest danger to a sub is airborne ASAW; ISTR there's been speculation of putting SAMs on subs as a counter. Especially since the Norks would be operating in shallower waters. Plus, hey, deniable terror weapon. |
| Posted by: Rob Crawford 2015-01-09 09:10 |
| #1 ...I'm thinking that Fat Boy said, "Gimme an SSBN!" and the Poor Dumb Bastids who work for him are stuck with coming up with one. Any nation that can build/maintain subs can build an SSBN, no prob. It's getting one to WORK that's tough. Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2015-01-09 06:45 |