North Korean nuclear missile 'could reach US'

[Supreme_Warlord]

Article from here

North Korean nuclear missile 'could reach US'

Jonathan Watts, east asia correspondent
Wednesday August 4, 2004

North Korea is deploying a new missile which may be able to strike the US mainland with a nuclear warhead, a report in Jane's Defence Weekly says today.

In the most alarming and detailed picture yet painted of Pyongyang's deterrent force, the authoritative military publication said the navy had customised a dozen scrapped Russian submarines to launch ballistic weapons of mass destruction.

Rumours have been circulating for several years that North Korea is developing an intercontinental missile - the Taepodong 2 - but the latest report suggests that the country's leader, Kim Jong-il, may also have ordered his military to attempt a short cut.

If confirmed, North Korea would join an exclusive club capable of covertly launching atomic weapons from submarines.

Only the five permanent members of the United Nations security council - the US, UK, France, China and Russia - and possibly Israel possess such a strategic advantage.

The article, which appears in this week's edition of Jane's, says North Korea's new systems appeared to be based on a decommissioned Soviet submarine-launched ballistic missile, the R-27.

It notes that several Russian missile experts from Chelyabinsk, a city in the Urals, were blocked in an attempt to enter North Korea in 1992, but others succeeded in subsequent years.

Much of the technology was reportedly transferred in the form of scrap in 1993, when a Japanese trading firm sold 12 decommissioned Foxtrot and Golf II class submarines to North Korea.

Although many key mechanisms were removed, the magazine said the vessels still contained launch tubes and stabilising sub-systems.

By customising these devices, it said, North Korea had developed and deployed a land-based missile with a range of 2,500km to 4,000km, as well as a sea-based missile with a range of 2,500km (1,500 miles).

The version of the missile capable of being launched from submarines or ships "is potentially the most threatening," Jane's said.

"It could finally provide its leadership with something that it has long sought to obtain - the ability to directly threaten the continental US."

North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes have long been a concern to the world.

In 2002, President George Bush named North Korea, alongside Iran and Iraq, as part of an axis of evil.

Pyongyang is now locked in a standoff with Washington over its withdrawal last year from the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

Although the country has never successfully tested a nuclear weapon, it is thought to have reprocessed sufficient plutonium for one to eight warheads.

According to the South Korean military, North Korea has 600 Scud missiles with a range of 600km and 100 Nodong missiles with a range of 1,300km. It also test-fired a multi-stage Taepodong 1 rocket over Japan in 1998.

A second-generation Taepodong capable of hitting Hawaii, Alaska and possibly the western seaboard of the US is under development.

Although the CIA believes that North Korea possesses an arsenal of biological and chemical weapons, Jane's news editor, Ian Kemp, said there was no doubt that the new missiles were primarily designed to carry nuclear warheads.

But Japanese military analysts are sceptical that North Korea possesses the miniaturisation technology to fit a nuclear warhead into a missile.

If true, this should be fun.

[Shadow WarChief]

If true, this should be fun.

Very fun indeed







*glances at location*

FUCK

Oh well, I'll have to hope that MAD keeps Kim Dong-small's panties in a bunch long enough for us to do something about this.

[Howedar]

The idea of North Korea possessing functional SSB(N)s is so absurd as to be laughable.

[Sea Skimmer]

The Golf series SSB's weren't a significant threat in the 1950's and 60's when brand new. Today even if the North Korean's managed to get one working, which is extremely unlikely seeing how they where decommissioned decades ago and won't have seen much or any maintenance since then, it really wouldn't matter. Being diesel powered it could only reach its patrol station while running either near the surface snorkeling or running on the surface openly. It would be absurdly easy to track such a sub and station a SSN to stand by ready to destroy it should it appear to be launching missiles (which tends to be very long process). Its quite likely that the USN would simply be ordered to sink the thing if it came within range of a major US possession in the Pacific, and that such an order would be broadcast openly to the North Korean's.

But even that minor threat is rather unlikely to happen, North Korea's shipyards could build crappy midget subs and Romeo SS (not even SSK status worthy) knockoffs in the 80's but they stopped doing so years ago. Refitting a floating wreck or building a new boat simply won't be an option unless there economy sees a dramatic turnaround.

[BlkbrryTheGreat]

there economy sees a dramatic turnaround.

They're Communists, not going to happen as long as they remain loyal to the dialectic!

[Darth Wong]

Their best option for getting a nuclear warhead to the US would be to ship it by Federal Express.

[LadyTevar]

Their best option for getting a nuclear warhead to the US would be to ship it by Federal Express.

**DIES LAUGHING**

Overnight or two-day?

[Patrick Degan]

Their best option for getting a nuclear warhead to the US would be to ship it by Federal Express.

BWAHA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...

[Stravo]

Look a nation that has real WMD's and they can and would use them...

[LadyTevar]

I suggest UPS. 'What can the brown do for you?'

[CelesKnight]

Look a nation that has real WMD's and they can and would use them...

What would you suggest Bush do?