KN-02 Toksa

Hwasong-11
Artist rendition of the missile
TypeSRBM
Place of originNorth Korea
Service history
In service2008–present
Used byKorean People's Army Strategic Force
Specifications
Mass2,010 kg (4,430 lb)[1]
Length6.4 m (21 ft)[1]
Diameter0.65 m (2.1 ft)[1]
Warheadsingle high-explosive, submunition,[1][2] chemical[1]
Warhead weight250 or 485 kg (551 or 1,069 lb)[1]
EngineSolid-propellant rocket
Operational
range
120–170 km (75–106 mi)[1]
Guidance
system
Inertial, optical correlation system[1]
Accuracy100 m (330 ft)[1]
Launch
platform
TEL[1]
Hwasong-11
Hangul
화성-11
RRHwaseong-11
MRHwasŏng-11

The Hwasong-11[2] (Korean: 화성-11; lit. 'Mars 11'; US designation: KN-02;[2] US alternate name: Toksa (독사; lit. 'Viper')[a])[3] is a North Korean short-range ballistic missile (SRBM). It is based on the Soviet OTR-21 Tochka SRBM.

Description

The Hwasong-11 is a short-ranged, solid fuelled, ballistic missile;[4][1] it is North Korea's first solid-fuelled missile.[4] The missile carries one non-nuclear warhead.[4][1][b] It is "far from certain" how well the OTR-21's avionics were copied.[4]

According to the CSIS Missile Defense Project, later versions increased range from 120 km to 170 km.[1] In 2021, a report co-authored by the IISS reported a range of 140 km.[4]

The missile is road-mobile on a transporter erector launcher (TEL).[1] According to the KPA Journal in 2010, the TEL and a transporter with 2-4 missile reloads were based on the MAZ-630308-224 or -243 commercial truck.[6]

History

North Korea and Syria developed a "missile relationship" in the 1990s which included technical exchanges. Syrian transfers to North Korea included examples of the OTR-21 (possibly in 1994) and technical data in 1996 through a two week visit by Syrian technicians to North Korea.[7] The first Hwasong-11 test in April 2004 failed. The missile reached initial operating capability in 2006-2008,[1] and made its first official appearance at the 2007 Military Foundation Day parade.[6][1]

In March 2014, a South Korean military source claimed that the KN-02's range had been extended to 170 km (110 mi) through improved engine performance. The source also claimed that North Korea possessed 100 missiles with 30 TELs deployed to fire them.[8] In August 2014, three KN-02s were fired out to a range of 220 km (140 mi) and estimated to have 100 m (330 ft) circular error probable accuracy.[9][10]

Operators

Notes

  1. ↑ Jeffrey Lewis believes that Toska was selected for its similarity to Tochka.[3]
  2. ↑ Table 7.9. "North Korean forces with potential nuclear capability, January 2024" of the SIPRI Yearbook 2024 also omits the Hwasong-11.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 "KN-02 (Toksa)". Missile Threat. Center for Strategic and International Studies. 23 April 2024. Archived from the original on 15 April 2026. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 Center for Energy and Security Studies & International Institute for Strategic Studies 2021, p. 62.
  3. 1 2 Lewis, Jeffrey (5 September 2016). "DPRK Missile Designations". Arms Control Wonk. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Center for Energy and Security Studies & International Institute for Strategic Studies 2021, p. 55.
  5. ↑ "7. World nuclear forces". 2024. SIPRI Yearbook. Oxford University Press. 2024. pp. 350–353. ISBN 9780198930570.
  6. 1 2 Bermudez 2010, p. 7.
  7. ↑ Bermudez 2010, p. 11.
  8. ↑ Kim Eun-jung (5 March 2014). "N. Korea has 100 KN-02 missiles with extended range". Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  9. ↑ Grisafi, John G. (16 August 2014). "Recent launches revealed as surface-to-surface missile". NK Pro. NK News. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  10. ↑ "N.Korea Fired Ballistic Missiles for Pope's Visit". The Chosun Ilbo. 18 August 2014. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  11. ↑ International Institute for Strategic Studies & 2025 268.

Sources

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