Free Republic

CONCLUSION: "Based on North Korea’s experience developing the KN-02 missile, which underwent at least 20 flight tests, it seems likely that each new missile system currently being developed will require a similar number of test launches. However, one cannot dismiss the possibility that leaders in Pyongyang are already satisfied with the test results achieved to date, as it is highly probable that the current KN-23, -24, and -25 missiles are more accurate that their Scud-based counterparts. In this case, the last remaining hurdle would be missile reliability and the proven knowledge that they perform as designed under a variety of...

President Donald Trump said on Thursday he wants to build up the U.S. nuclear arsenal to ensure it is at the "top of the pack," saying the United States has fallen behind in its atomic weapons capacity. In a Reuters interview, Trump also complained about Russian deployment of a cruise missile in violation of an arms control treaty and said he would raise the issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin when and if they meet. On another front, Trump said China could solve the national security challenge posed by North Korea "very easily if they want to," ratcheting up pressure...

China aims new missile types at Taiwan, NSB says DANGER:：The DF-16 ballistic missile not only poses a threat to Taiwan, but could also be used to strike US military bases on Guam and Okinawa By Rich Chang / Staff Reporter Thu, Mar 17, 2011 - Page 1 A top national security official yesterday said China had begun deploying a new long-range ballistic missile aimed at Taiwan, adding that the missile’s destructive capacity went beyond that of the current missiles in China’s arsenal. National Security Bureau (NSB) Director Tsai Der-sheng (蔡得勝) told the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee that...

Missile Defense Agency officials are briefing lawmakers this week about the agency’s decision to cancel the competition for the Medium-Range Ballistic Missile Target class due to a lack of money. In a June 25 agency announcement posted on Federal Business Opportunities, MDA states that “sufficient funds are not available” to make a contract award for the MRBM Type 1 Target program. Consequently, “the solicitation was canceled,” the notice adds. In response to an Inside Missile Defense query, an MDA spokesman declined to comment in “advance of providing cancellation information to Congress.” “We’ve been receiving requests for info so I’m guessing...

Taiwan is to test a missile for the first time that could hit Beijing, a report said Wednesday. The island's defence ministry immediately denied the report on the medium-range surface-to-surface missile, but said research was being carried out on "various weapons systems". The missile, designed to hit targets up to 2,000 kilometres (1,240 miles) away, will be launched Thursday and Friday from Chiupeng, a tightly-guarded base in southern Taiwan, Taipei-based Next Magazine said. If successful, the weapons project codenamed "Ching Sheng" would move into mass production stage, according to the usually well-informed magazine. The defence ministry plans to deploy 150...

A Pentagon review of ballistic missile defenses highlights Iran’s missile programs and reveals that Iran test-fired a new medium-range missile late last year. “The threat posed by ballistic missile delivery systems is likely to increase while growing more complex over the next decade,” the Ballistic Missile Defense Review Report stated. “This judgment by the Intelligence Community is borne out by recent events, such as Iran’s launch of a new mobile, solid-propellant medium range ballistic missile (MRBM) in December 2009.” Iran has not said it plans to field an ICBM missile but continues to pursue missiles of longer-range and its space...

In the face of mounting international pressure to suspend its nuclear activity, Iran flexed its muscles on Wednesday and test-fired its most advanced ballistic missile, capable of hitting Israel and parts of Europe. The missile tested, according to Iranian reports, was an upgraded version of the Sajjil 2, a sophisticated ballistic missile that has a range of close to 2,000 kilometers, can carry a nuclear warhead and is powered by a solid-fuel propellant which gives it greater accuracy and range. With solid fuel, the missile can be stored in underground silos, making it more difficult to detect before launch. "This...

December 16, 2009: Iran has successfully tested today an 'optimized' version of the solid-fuel Sejjil-2 ballistic missile. The recent test builds on the first successful launch conducted in May 2009 (below). Iran has tested several combinations of propellant compounds to achieve reliable operation. Iranian sources indicate that the current missile has been configured to carry different warheads and uses stealth attributes ('anti-radar material coating'). The use of solid propellant dramatically reduces pre-launch preparations, enabling the missile to be fired immediately after being erected by the mobile launcher. The Iranians claim the solid-powered Sejill-2 is faster during the powered ascent as...

Tehran altering ballistic missile By Andrew Koch JDW Bureau Chief Washington, DC Robin Hughes JDW Deputy News Editor London Additional reporting by Alon Ben-David, JDW Correspondent Tel Aviv As the controversy over whether Iran is conducting a secret nuclear weapons programme gathers momentum, new details are emerging about Tehran's ballistic missiles likely to carry such weapons. The mostly likely delivery system, a liquid-fuelled medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM), referred to in the US as the Shahab 3A, has been flight-tested several times in the past few months. The Paris-based Iranian opposition group, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), in...