North Korean cruise missiles

The budget of the U.S. Navy and marine corps will be 171,5 billion dollars in the fiscal year of 2018. 7,2 billion dollars will be spent on operations abroad. Despite the fact that North Korea has less money, this amount will be enough for anti-ship missiles.

The command of the military force of North Korea announced about a successful test of new anti-ship missiles produced in North Korea. The missiles flew 200 km and fell outside of the economic maritime zone of Japan. These anti-ship missiles are designed by the specialists of the North Korean Academy of Defensive Science which is included in the sanctions list of the UN for designing nuclear weapon.

North Korean missiles hit the target

According to the Central Telegraph Agency of North Korea, the missiles hit precisely the target, and test launches showed a special leaving of missiles from the launcher and a fast transition to nap-of- the-earth flight.

The tests were carried out on the stability of far and nap-of- the-earth flights, different flight routes, target detection and precisely guiding of warheads and a specific way of detecting targets.

According to the South Korean intelligence, the missiles flew for several minutes at the maximum altitude, about 2 km. This has been the eleventh North Korean test of the missiles this year and the fifth one since Moon Jae-in became the president of South Korea. The American mass media says that four anti-ship missiles overall have been launched.

The U.S. aircraft carriers are leaving

The most interesting fact is that two carrier battle groups (CVBG) of the United States Navy (USN) and nuclear-powered supercarriers Ronald Reagan and Carl Vinson left the Sea of Japan a day before the tests of North Korean anti-ship missiles.

According to the Pentagon’s official version, two CVBGs left after the training with the Japanese and South Korean Nave had finished. The Carl Vinson was sent to California and the Ronald Reagan was sent to the base in Tokyo.

A carrier battle group together with the aircraft carrier Nimitz substituted them. However, they will not stay near the Korean Peninsula for a long time. After some training this battle group will be sent to the region of the Persian Gulf.

It is obvious that this “aircraft tactics” of Washington’s pressure on Pyongyang because the North Korean missile tests did not work. This demonstration of force only stimulated North Korea to design different missile projects.

Moreover, last successful tests of anti-ship missiles were the feedback of the North Korean military that affected successfully the command of the U.S. air force and the White House that made a decision to remove the aircraft carriers from the Korean Peninsula.

What are the missiles?

The KN-09 was presented at the military parade that was held in honor of the birth day anniversary of Kim Il-sung. It is a North Korean new transported version of the Soviet\Russian subsonic cruise anti-ship missile Х-35 (3М24) that was designed by the experimental design bureau Zvezda, a department of the Tactical Missiles Corporation. This four missiles container was carried by a clone of the Soviet self-propelled mount 2П16 used for the Soviet tactical ballistic missile P-17 known as Skud on the world.

The missile X-35 was included in the Russian armament in 2003. There are its aircraft, helicopter and navy versions. Its last modifications can be used in different time, in any weather conditions and when an adversary uses electronic warfare (EW) and anti-aircraft warfare.

The Х-35 has a very effective managing system. The missile should fly at the altitude not more than 10-15 m during a cruising flight. After a target is detected and aimed, the altitude of flight decreases up to 4 meters. The low altitude minimizes risks to be detected and impedes its escort and attacks of anti-aircraft warfare.

The X-35 contains a high-explosive warhead that is used for attacking missile, torpedo and artillery boats, surface ships with tonnage up to 5 thousand, marine transports. The shooting distance is 130 km. Also, there is another version Х-35У with launch range 260 km but it is not exported. The fact that the North Korean clones of the X-35 flew 70 km further shows serious improvements.

These anti-ship missiles do not present a real threat for aircraft carriers and guided missile cruisers of the Ticonderoga class that are included in USN, however, they are dangerous for destroyers with guided missile weapons like the Arleigh Burke and for supply ships, transport and tanker ships.

The Russian Navy uses the anti-ship missiles X-35 for rocket boosters Uran and coastal defense missile systems Bal. The fast patrol boats of the North Korean air force are equipped with these rockets.

Moreover, North Korea has other types of the anti-ship missiles. These are old Soviet reliable missiles P-15 Termit (designed in 1950) and Chinese missiles SY-1, HY-1and HY-2 .

The U.S. Navy budget

The budget of the U.S. Navy and marine corps will be 171,5 billion dollars in the fiscal year of 2018. 7,2 billion dollars will be spent on operations abroad.

4,4 billion dollars will be spent on producing a new class of the second aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy and starting the production of the third aircraft carrier Enterprise. Despite the fact that North Korea has less money, this amount will be enough for anti-ship missiles.