North Korea announced testing of a new cluster warhead for a strategic cruise missile. According to Pyongyang, the launch also checked the possibility of striking targets by means of a vertical impact. This is already the second announcement by the DPRK in several days about testing missile armament with cluster munitions.
This was reported on November 3 by South Korean agency Yonhap with reference to the state Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
According to the North Korean side, the tests took place on November 2 under the direction of a representative of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea, Kim Jong Sik.
Pyongyang claims that the new medium-sized cluster warhead is capable of striking an area of five to six hectares. Such characteristics were reported by representatives of the Institute of Warheads of the Missile Administration of the DPRK based on the test results.
There is no independent confirmation of the claimed strike area. North Korean state media did not provide sufficient technical data to verify the actual effectiveness of the new munition.
A cluster warhead contains several smaller munitions that disperse over a defined area. Unlike an ordinary high-explosive warhead, it is designed to strike targets over a large area.
Separately, the DPRK reported improving the capability of the cruise missile to deliver a vertical strike in the final phase of flight.
According to the version of North Korean military developers, the changes in the missile's maneuvering make it possible to aim it more accurately at targets taking into account the terrain features.
As explained to Yonhap by a representative of the Korea Defense and Security Forum, Shin Jong-woo, such technology could potentially be used to strike fortified objects, in particular, entrances to underground structures, which are more difficult to attack using a conventional trajectory.
At the same time, these conclusions relate to the possible purpose of the technology, and not to an independently confirmed accuracy of North Korean missiles.
The new tests took place just two days after a similar test of a cluster warhead for a tactical ballistic missile.
On October 31, North Korea, according to KCNA, tested a cluster warhead of the Standard Type 2. At that time Pyongyang announced the possibility of striking an area of 12-13 hectares. These figures also remain unconfirmed by independent sources.
As the specialized publication NK News notes, the test on November 2 became a new stage in the development of cluster munitions, since now Pyongyang announces their application not only on ballistic but also on cruise missiles.
Earlier, the leadership of the Missile Administration of the DPRK reported on the development of four categories of cluster warheads for various military missions. According to Pyongyang's plans, all these types of weapons should become available to military units by the end of 2026.
Representatives of the North Korean military department explain the expansion of the missile program by the need to strengthen the country's defensive capability and deter external threats.
South Korea said that it maintains readiness to respond to possible provocations by the DPRK. A representative of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea, Jang Do-yeong, reported that the South Korean army has its own precision weapon systems and continues to monitor Pyongyang's military activity.
At the same time, South Korean military did not confirm the characteristics of the new warhead claimed by the DPRK and the effectiveness of the vertical strike.
Thus, North Korea demonstrates an intention to expand the nomenclature of missile weapons with cluster warheads. However, the real capabilities of the new systems and the timing of their entry into service remain uncertain.
