North Korea tests ‘upgraded' large-calibre rocket launcher

KCNA reported that the North Korean military test-fired an ‘upgraded' 600 mm KN-25 MRL system on 27 January. The event was observed by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. (KCNA via KNS/AFP via Getty Images)

North Korea has test-fired an ‘upgraded' large-calibre multiple rocket launcher (MRL) system, state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on 28 January.

According to KCNA,the test firing was conducted one day earlier by North Korea's Missile Administration. The test firing was conducted to “verify the effectiveness of [the] large-calibre multiple rocket launcher system upgraded with new technology”, KCNA said.

It added, “The fired four rockets hit a target in the waters 358.5 km away from the point of launch.” KCNA provided no details about the missiles' flight trajectory.

Citing North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who was present at the test fire event, KCNA reported 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.

“All the indexes have been improved to maximise its strike capability, and the mobility, intelligence, and hitting accuracy of the rockets, in particular, have remarkably been upgraded,” Kim said. “The mobility of the newly modernised launcher vehicle is also perfect.”

Japan's Ministry of Defense (MoD) said it tracked two ballistic missiles being launched from the west coast of North Korea on 27 January. According to the MoD, the first missile was launched at 1554 h local time, flew at a maximum altitude of about 80 km, and splashed down after a distance of 350 km.