During the parade, North Korea presented Pukguksong-5 submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), which it called "the most powerful weapon in the world."
On Thursday evening, the DPRK held a solemn military parade in honor of the eighth congress of the Workers ' Party. Among the various weapons systems, the country showed Pukguksong-5 strategic submarine-launched ballistic missiles, highly appreciating their combat potential.
"Strategic submarine-launched ballistic missiles, the most powerful weapon in the world, one after another entered the square," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in a statement.
New ballistic missile
Image source: Reuters
Other examples of weapons and military equipment demonstrated include tactical missiles and self-propelled artillery units. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un watched the ceremony.
New ballistic missiles
Image source: Reuters
North Korea's development of new submarines capable of carrying ballistic missiles is being actively monitored in the West. Informed the researcher of the Navy H. Sutton posted photos of the new North Korean submarine on his website, trying to analyze its key features.
©hisutton
The observer believes that the submarine has two propellers and is in a broad sense a development of the Soviet submarine project 633.
Such ships (Romeo according to the NATO classification) were built in the Soviet Union in the 1950s and 1960s. In total, from 1957 to 1961, the Krasnoe Sormovo plant produced 20 such submarines. The crew of the submarine is 52 people.
It is known that the documentation of Project 633 was used in the construction of submarines in China and North Korea. It is almost impossible to name the exact composition of the DPRK's submarine forces today, but it is worth saying that Pyongyang traditionally has a large number of different submarines (which, however, cannot be called modern).
Recall that last year , the DPRK launched the latest Pukguksong-3 ballistic missile from a submarine. The submarine launched the missile from an underwater position.
Test launch of the new North Korean submarine-launched ballistic missile "Pukkykson-3»
Image source: KCNA
As the blog of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies reported at the time, the rocket flew 450 kilometers along the" high-altitude " trajectory: the highest altitude was 910 kilometers. Experts estimate the range of the product's flight along a "normal" ballistic trajectory to be more than 2,000 kilometers.