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N Korea Has Continued Ballistic Missile Launcher Production in 2018, Per US Intelligence (Air Force)
The Diplomat (based on US National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC) ) ^ | 2 July 2018 | The Diplomat (Ankit Panda)

Posted on 07/02/2018 12:31:55 AM PDT by AmericanInTokyo

North Korea has continued to produce support equipment and launchers for one of its newer ballistic missiles through the first half of 2018, according to a recent U.S. military intelligence assessment described to The Diplomat by U.S. government officials.

According to a recent assessment released by the U.S. National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC), which analyzes intelligence regarding ballistic missile threats for the U.S. Air Force, North Korea has continued to produce vehicles and support equipment for its Pukguksong-2/KN15 medium-range ballistic missile in 2018.

While production of launch vehicles—known as transporter-erector-launchers, or TELs—and support equipment has continued through the first half of 2018, North Korea has likely not produced additional Pukguksong-2 missiles, the assessment notes. North Korea may have produced as many as ten TELs for the Pukguksong-2.

In June 2017, a public NASIC assessment assessed the Pukguksong-2’s range at in excess of 1,000 kilometers. According to that assessment, the missile was not yet deployed then even though North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared it operational after its second flight test in May 2017.

The missile’s range would leave it best suited for use against targets in Japan, including U.S. military installations on Japan’s four main islands and Okinawa.

The Pukguksong-2 was the first North Korean ballistic missile to feature an indigenously designed and built integrated transporter-erector-launcher with continuous tracks that allow it to conduct launches from unpaved roads and other rough terrain.

This two-stage, solid-fuel missile—first flight-tested in February 2017 and once again in May 2017—is a land-based version of North Korea’s Pukguksong-1/KN11 submarine-launched ballistic missile. (EXERPT)


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: missiles; nknukes; nkorea; northkorea; nukes; propaganda; trumpasia
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Source: US National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC)

Link to Air Force organization: http://www.nasic.af.mil/

1 posted on 07/02/2018 12:31:55 AM PDT by AmericanInTokyo
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To: AmericanInTokyo

Fools or pressure from the Chinese to keep building?


2 posted on 07/02/2018 1:04:53 AM PDT by Jonty30 (What Islam and secularism have in common is that they are both death by cults.)
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To: Jonty30

Excellent question


3 posted on 07/02/2018 1:30:39 AM PDT by AmericanInTokyo
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To: Jonty30; AmericanInTokyo
Fools or pressure from the Chinese to keep building?

I have no doubt the Norks easily could be doing this. On the other hand, this is another government agency reporting this, so when a government agency reports something, I would like more proof, than just their word.

4 posted on 07/02/2018 1:47:52 AM PDT by Mark17 (Genesis chapter 1 verse 1. In the beginning GOD....And the rest, as they say, is HIS-story)
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To: Mark17
Good points, all. FYI, here are more details on that "government agency" you had asked about.

It is a professional group of about 100 analysts, scientists, researchers, technical ops, etc. Satellite and photo interp.

The chief of the shop was interviewed last year on their methodology and how they keep us all safe.

The organization in question is fairly familiar, I believe they have credence; it is known as the "United States Air Force."

LINK: Report on the Air Force's NAIS and North Korean monitoring

5 posted on 07/02/2018 2:00:00 AM PDT by AmericanInTokyo
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To: AmericanInTokyo
If you go to the nasic web site, what you find is more of a pr, feel good, hey, join the air force site than an informational one.

Furthermore, a search on the site for the term 'north korea' or 'ballistic missile' only shows a publication from 2017 on threat assessment of ballistic missiles. the Pukguksong missle information does not appear in that article.

A search on 'Pukguksong' on the nasic turned up no hits.

I would suggest that the diplomat article may be full of stuff, as it is another 'unnamed government officials' article, or fake news, regarding north korea at this point.

6 posted on 07/02/2018 2:04:42 AM PDT by backpacker_c
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To: AmericanInTokyo

No doubt China pulls the puppet’s strings. China is seeking a payout to cease their plays of rocketboy.


7 posted on 07/02/2018 2:10:54 AM PDT by no-to-illegals (..There is no difference between liberals/rinos/moslems/illegals/lamestream media ...)
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To: AmericanInTokyo

What a croc article.

It’s been 18 days since the summit.

This article says nothing about those 18 days and plays around with time frames to try and spin things negative.

It’s dishonest.

Pompeo is going to N. Korea this week,

We ought to wait and see what happens and what he says after that meeting.


8 posted on 07/02/2018 2:15:11 AM PDT by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: AmericanInTokyo

A lot of that article is hand wringing over stuff that happened before the deal.

The tone of it and it’s presentation appear to be fear mongering in intent.

Kim has a lot to get done, and some places may need special attention.

I’m sure Pompeo will mention it.

Meanwhile, this “News” has an agenda.


9 posted on 07/02/2018 2:29:35 AM PDT by EasySt (Truth will Prevail)
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To: AmericanInTokyo; ifinnegan; backpacker_c
I believe they have credence; it is known as the "United States Air Force."

I was in the Air Force for 20 years. I can assure you, not everyone has credence. I recall one James Clapper. If that dude says anything, I automatically don’t believe a word of it. Since I have very little trust in government, let’s wait for more honorable men like Mike Pompeo and Donald Trump to comment on it. I learned from my Vietnam experience, not to be too trusting in government.

American in Davao

10 posted on 07/02/2018 2:43:55 AM PDT by Mark17 (Genesis chapter 1 verse 1. In the beginning GOD....And the rest, as they say, is HIS-story)
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To: no-to-illegals
Actually I suspect that NK was finishing an order for a major Middle East client, and will be shipping a lot of their stuff out under pallets of cement.
11 posted on 07/02/2018 3:22:15 AM PDT by texas booster (Join FreeRepublic's Folding@Home team (Team # 36120) Cure Alzheimer's!)
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To: AmericanInTokyo

Maybe he’s letting the “employees” do something, so they can earn their daily food rations...


12 posted on 07/02/2018 3:45:09 AM PDT by Dixie Yooper (Ephesians 6:11)
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To: ifinnegan

“What a croc article.”

Communist societies do things for perverse reasons. One of my car magazines ran an article about a factory in Russia that produced trucks modeled on a 1920’s Ford design well into the 1950’s. They were so embarrassing to the Soviets that they went straight from the factory to the recycler. The reason they kept producing the truck was to keep the workers employed. The Chinese are building entire cities with nobody to occupy them. They do this to keep the workers employed. Communist societies are terrified of worker unrest, so, they keep the workers busy and “employed.”

I worked on a US government project that was cancelled as the decision had been made not to use the hardware. We built and delivered it anyway...because, it cost more to cancel it than to finish it. Also, not building it would have lead to a layoff which would have harmed the company when it came time to build more stuff the government did want. Just because a decision is made at the political level does not mean it immediately affects things at the bottom level.


13 posted on 07/02/2018 3:53:00 AM PDT by Gen.Blather
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To: Alas Babylon!; American_Centurion; An.American.Expatriate; arthurus; ASA.Ranger; ASA Vet; Ax; ...

MI Ping


14 posted on 07/02/2018 3:53:46 AM PDT by ASA Vet (Make American Intelligence Great Again.)
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To: Mark17

Does your distrust of the government also include distrust of the State Department?


15 posted on 07/02/2018 4:09:14 AM PDT by AmericanInTokyo
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To: Mark17
On the other hand, this is another government agency reporting this, so when a government agency reports something, I would like more proof, than just their word.

From who?

16 posted on 07/02/2018 4:12:41 AM PDT by DoodleDawg
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To: Mark17
"I recall one James Clapper..."

.... and one Michael Hayden.

17 posted on 07/02/2018 4:13:33 AM PDT by Joe 6-pack (Qui me amat, amat et canem meum.)
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To: DoodleDawg
More “fake news” (/sarc) this morning carried on that prime outlet for “fake news , FOX News:

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/07/02/north-korea-reportedly-expands-major-missile-plant-report.html

18 posted on 07/02/2018 4:21:28 AM PDT by AmericanInTokyo
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To: EasySt
You nailed it and I believe this is fake news.

Pompeo is on it along with Bolton.

The media should stop trying to provoke negatives.

The possibility of "Peace" with Korea is too tender to play with.

19 posted on 07/02/2018 4:26:41 AM PDT by Sacajaweau
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To: AmericanInTokyo
Air Farce is more swampy than other branches, though. They don't want their raison d'être to go away.
20 posted on 07/02/2018 4:39:20 AM PDT by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
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