NavalNews:

The world’s only operational conventionally-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSB) may soon emerge in North Korea. The Romeo-Mod submarine, also known as Sinpo-C, was first revealed on North Korean TV on July 23, 2019. It will likely be armed with three Pukguksong-3 missiles, which are the hermit kingdom’s best performing. So it will, on paper, pose a serious threat to U.S. and allied targets in the region. But how real is the threat?

The KN-26 Pukguksong-3 missile is taken seriously. In a successful test, exactly a year ago, on October 2, 2019, it flew 450 km (280 miles). This may not sound very far in missile terms, but it reached 910 km (565 miles) in altitude. This, in turn, can be translated into a maximum range of at least 1,900 km (1,200 miles). Actual ranges may be even further.

The missile’s name translates as Polaris-3, which may be a deliberate reference to the famous American missile. Like Polaris for the U.S. Navy, Pukguksong-3 may represent a coming of age of the North Korean Navy…

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