N. Korea Successfully Launches Missile from Submarine VLS for First Time [Yang Nakgyu's Defence Club]

SLCM Launched from Kim Kun Ok Hero Ship... Potential for "Mixed Launches"

North Korea said it test-fired two types of submarine-launched strategic cruise missiles in the East Sea on the 14th. The Korean Central News Agency reported on the 15th, "The Missile General Bureau test-fired two types of submarine-launched strategic cruise missiles in the East Sea of Korea on the 14th." Yonhap News.

North Korea launched a cruise missile (SLCM) from the Kim Kun Ok Hero Ship. This was the first time it had launched a missile from a submarine's vertical launch system (VLS). This means North Korea can now carry out "mixed launches" of various missiles from underwater, in addition to launches from land.

The Korean Central News Agency reported on the 15th that "the Missile General Bureau test-fired two types of submarine-launched strategic cruise missiles in the East Sea of Korea on the 14th." It added that "the test launch contributed to demonstrating the high reliability, dependability and capabilities of the means of deterring war."

Torpedo Tubes Used for 2023 Launch

North Korea first launched an SLCM from the 8.24 Hero Ship in March 2023. At the time, it test-fired a Hwasal-1-type long-range strategic cruise missile with a range of about 1,500 kilometers. However, the missile was launched from a torpedo tube, prompting assessments that the test was closer to an initial experiment.

This time was different. The missiles appear to have been launched simultaneously from the VLS mounted on top of the submarine and from its torpedo tubes. Launching from a VLS indicates that the cold-launch method was used. In this method, the missile is ejected from the launcher and propelled to a certain altitude before its engine ignites in midair. By absorbing the launch shock that the submarine would otherwise sustain from the missile's initial explosive force, the method makes it easier to extend the missile's range. It also allows for easier successive launches than torpedo tubes and offers an advantage in missile responsiveness, including the ability to change direction.

Mixed Launches Possible Through 10 Launch Tubes

The Kim Kun Ok Hero Ship is a Sinpo-C-class ballistic missile submarine (SSB) that North Korea launched in September 2023. It is a modified Romeo-class submarine. A total of 10 VLS launch tubes are installed behind the conning tower: four large and six small. The large tubes can launch submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), while the small ones can launch SLCMs. At the ship's launch ceremony in 2023, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un described the Kim Kun Ok Hero Ship as "the standard model for a tactical nuclear submarine, intended to convert our navy's existing medium-sized submarines into attack submarines."

North Korea appears poised to substantially strengthen its naval forces. At the 9th Party Congress held early this year, it approved a five-year plan to modernize its navy and is concentrating resources on the effort. Reports indicate that North Korea plans to build two Choe Hyon-class destroyers each year, along with a 10,000-ton-class cruiser. The plan appears intended to offset its disadvantages on land and in the air by building up its underwater capabilities. North Korea's drive to build nuclear-powered submarines, which are central to the so-called "second-strike" concept—the ability to retaliate from underwater even if its mainland is attacked—appears to reflect the same strategy.

Strengthening Naval Power, This Time for Joint Drills with Russia

A stronger navy could make joint drills with Russia possible. In 2024, North Korea registered 13 submarines, including the Kim Kun Ok Hero Ship, with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) all at once. This was the first time North Korea had registered submarines with the IMO. The move drew attention because it came after North Korea and Russia signed a new treaty, the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty. The IMO's Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS) lists 11 Sang-O II-class submarines, numbered 1 through 11, as well as the Sinpo-class 8.24 Hero Ship and the Sinpo-C-class Kim Kun Ok Hero Ship (No. 841).

Registering a vessel with the IMO gives it a unique identification number, comparable to a resident registration number. The Kim Kun Ok Hero Ship's unique IMO number is "4776425." The vessels' owner is listed as the "Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.