North Korea showcases 600 mm multiple rocket launchers

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un stands in front of the MRL system test-fired by the country's Missile Administration in January. (Photo by KCNA via KNS/AFP via Getty Images)

North Korea's state-run Munitions Industry Department (MID) displayed its 600 mm ‘large-calibre' multiple rocket launcher (MRL) system at a handover ceremony in Pyongyang, state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on 19 February.

Images published by KCNA showed at least 50 MRL systems on display at the ceremony, which was attended by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. KCNA said that during the event MID formally presented the MRL systems to the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), which then handed over the weapons to the Korean People's Army (KPA).

KCNA also reported that Kim presented the MRLs to the Chief of the General Staff of the KPA, Vice-Marshal Ri Yong-gil.

Janes analysis of the images suggests that the newly presented MRLs are the ‘upgraded' large-calibre system North Korea's Missile Administration test-fired in January.

This test firing was conducted to “verify the effectiveness of [the] large-calibre multiple rocket launcher system upgraded with new technology”, KCNA said at the time. “The fired four rockets hit a target in the waters 358.5 km away from the point of launch.”

Citing Kim, who was also present at the test fire event, KCNA reported at the time that the upgraded system features a “self-steered, precisely guided flight system, which can neglect any outside intervention”.

Reference to the self-steered system likely indicates that the weapon is equipped with an autonomous inertial navigation system (INS)-based precision guidance system with in‑flight control.