South Korea has announced the successful development of the Hyunmoo-V ballistic missile to be fitted on the country’s future arsenal ship.
Sources told local media that the weapon system underwent trial launches earlier this year, marking the culmination of the development and testing phase.
Seoul plans to begin mass production of the Hyunmoo-V later this year, with a maximum capacity of 70 units annually.
The target is to field up to 200 missiles to support the operations of the future Joint Strike Ship being developed by Hanwha Ocean.
About the Hyunmoo-V
Hyunmoo-V is part of South Korea’s Hyunmoo family of ballistic missiles consisting of several variations.
The first version has already been decommissioned, while the variant before the Hyunmoo-V is still undergoing acceptance trials.
The Hyunmoo-V has a maximum range of 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles) and a warhead weight exceeding eight tons.
It is designed to destroy enemy underground command centers, nuclear missile bases, and other key facilities at speeds close to Mach 10.
The missile also delivers a “massive” destructive power, triggering tunnel collapses through artificial earthquakes.