Facts
| Designation | Hwasong-5 (Scud-B Variant) |
| Missile Variants | Scud-B (Russia), Hwasong-6, Hwasong-7 |
| Mobility | Road Mobile/Short Range Ballistic Missile |
| Designer/Producer | Soviet Union/North Korea |
| Range | 300KM |
| Warhead Type and Weight | Conventional or Nuclear/1000KG |
| MIRV and Yield | No MIRV capability / N/A |
| Guidance System/ Accuracy | Modeled after V4/A2 Arrangement/450 meters CEP |
| Stages Propellant | One/Liquid |
| IOC | 1986 |
| Status/Number of Units | 300 missiles/12-15 Launchers |
Overview
Based on the design of the Scud-B ballistic missile employed by the Soviet Union, the Hwasong-5 is a liquid-propelled North Korean short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) with a range of 300 km and a payload capacity of slightly under 1,000 kg. [1] North Korea purchased the Soviet Scud-B from Egypt in the mid-1970s [2] and made improvements to the airframe, guidance, and motor. Flight tests of the Hwasong-5 began in 1984 and the missile was deployed in 1986. [3] The Hwasong-5—like the Scud-B—is road-mobile and launched from a North Korean copy of the Russian-designed MAZ 543 Transporter-Erector-Launcher (TEL) vehicle. However, the SRBM can also be launched from converted commercial vehicles as well. [4] It is believed that North Korea has around 300 Hwasong-5 SRBMs [5] with around 12 to 15 launchers [6]. The Hwasong-5, if deployed near the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, has the range to strike targets anywhere in the South and can be equipped with a single high explosive, chemical, or miniaturized nuclear warhead. [7]
Strategic Implications
If deployed near the demilitarized zone, the Hwasong-5 could strike targets throughout most of South Korea. It is believed that the DRPK gained the capability to mass produce the Hwasong-5 by the 1990s, as indicated by North Korean exports of Scud-B variants to Iran during the Gulf War. [8] In addition to Iran, it is believed that North Korea has proliferated the Hwasong-5 to the Republic of Congo, Cuba, Ethiopia, Egypt, Iraq, Libya, Myanmar, Syria, UAE, Vietnam, and Yemen. [9]
Missile Tests
Click here to see a list of the Hwasong-5 tests.
Sources:
[1] http://missilethreat.com/missiles/scud-b-variant-hwasong-5/
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid.
[6] http://fas.org/nuke/guide/dprk/missile/hwasong-5.htm
[7] http://missilethreat.com/missiles/scud-b-variant-hwasong-5/
[8] Ibid.
[9] Ibid.
