S. Korea Developing New Prototype Of Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile

The South Korean military is developing submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) likely to be launched from the Jangbogo-III attack submarine currently under production.

“On the 3,000-ton Jangbogo-III submarine, which is currently under production, we are installing a vertical launching pad,” a high-ranking official told Korea Joongang Daily. “The installation of a vertical launching pad indicates that the SLBM is already under development”.  

The South Korean Navy’s arsenal currently includes the submarine-launched cruise missile (SLCM).

The SLBM is being developed by the Agency of Defense Development (ADD) and is expected to be completed by 2020. If the development of SLBMs finishes as scheduled, South Korean military authorities plan to equip the Jangbogo-III submarine with SLBMs, as this submarine which will have been turned over to the Navy by 2020.

However, the official did not name the SLBM prototype. The Diplomat reports that it is highly likely that the missile in question is a variant of the Hyunmoo-2B or its predecessor the Hyunmoo-2A, given that it can be also launched from submarines with vertical launching pads.

Meanwhile, military authorities have decided to upgrade the second version of the Jangbogo-III submarine from 3,000 tons to 3,400 tons.