[Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club] What is the Performance of North Korea's Tomahawk Missile?

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] The new long-range cruise missile tested by North Korea is being evaluated as the "North Korean version of the Tomahawk." North Korea launched cruise missiles on January 22 and March 21, shortly after U.S. President Joe Biden took office, but this is the first time it has launched a cruise missile with a range of 1500 km.

According to military experts on the 13th, North Korea's new long-range cruise missile is equipped with main wings, auxiliary tail wings, a turbofan engine (named "turbine blower engine" by North Korea), and an engine intake on the dorsal side of the fuselage.

The U.S. Tomahawk cruise missile also has a dorsal intake, indicating that North Korea has significantly imitated the advanced Tomahawk technology of developed countries. The Tomahawk also flies by utilizing the lift of the main and auxiliary wings. In particular, considering that South Korea's Hyunmoo-3C cruise missile also has a range of 1500 km, there are many similarities.

This is the first time North Korea has publicly launched a new long-range cruise missile with a range of 1500 km. Some view this as an attempt to showcase military power while avoiding UN Security Council sanctions against North Korea.

Shin Jong-woo, Senior Analyst at the Korea Defense and Security Forum (KODEF), said, "This test launch demonstrated that not only ballistic missiles but also cruise missiles can attack Japan, Guam, and Alaska," adding, "The protruding air intake part of the turbofan engine allows it to be evaluated as the 'North Korean version of the Tomahawk.'"

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.