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)
Link to Air Force organization: http://www.nasic.af.mil/
Fools or pressure from the Chinese to keep building?
Excellent question
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.
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
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.
No doubt China pulls the puppet’s strings. China is seeking a payout to cease their plays of rocketboy.
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.
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.
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
Maybe he’s letting the “employees” do something, so they can earn their daily food rations...
“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.
MI Ping
Does your distrust of the government also include distrust of the State Department?
From who?
.... and one Michael Hayden.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/07/02/north-korea-reportedly-expands-major-missile-plant-report.html
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.
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