North Korea Announces Test of New Precision Guided Tactical Ballistic Missile System
Military Watch Magazine Editorial Staff
North Korean KN-24 Rocket Artillery System
North Korean state media outlet KCNA has revealed footage of the latest test of a yet unnamed new tactical ballistic missile systems - the first such test this year following two tests of the KN-25 rocket artillery system. The new missile system is one of two which were first tested in 2019, alongside the heavier KN-23 which closely resembles the Russian Iskander system. The new missile system bears some resemblance to the American MGM-140, and is reportedly prized for its extreme precision and high manoeuvrability. KCNA reported regarding the launch: "The test launch has clearly demonstrated the features of guided missiles, including the differently defined trajectories and incidence angles, the accuracy of hitting the target and the warhead's power.” The new missile has been dubbed by some analysts as the 'KN-24.'
North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un, himself trained as an artillery specialist, personally oversaw the missile test alongside the country’s military leadership, and stated regarding the launch: "We must strengthen our firepower in order to be able to destroy any enemy outside our territory should they dare to conduct military operations against our country. This is precisely the party’s set goal of building national defence and the most advanced defence strategy and deterrence force.” He further noted that the missiles would make a "decisive contribution" to implementing the country's strategic goals and an “epochal change of its defence strategy.” North Korea’s development of short ranged tactical missiles and new rocket artillery systems allow it to strike U.S. and South Korean military facilities with precision across the Korean Peninsula - with airfields expected to be a primary target in order to ground all enemy air units at the war’s outset. This is reportedly intended to compensate for the relatively slow rate of modernisation in North Korea’s own Air Force, with precise ballistic missile and artillery systems arguably providing a more cost effective option.
