Missile Nodong I

The Hwasong-7, also designated as the Nodong, is a single-stage, mobile liquid-propellant medium-range ballistic missile. Development began in the mid-1980s as a scaled-up adaptation of the Soviet R-17 Elbrus. The design was derived from R-17 technical data obtained from Egypt and potentially modified Chinese designs. United States reconnaissance satellites first identified the system in May 1990 at the Musudan-ri test facility. Production commenced the same year, and the missile reached operational status in 1998.

The system utilizes a liquid propellant combination of TM-185 and AK-27I. Due to this propellant configuration, the missile requires fueling while in a vertical position and cannot be transported in a fueled state. The aerodynamic design provides stability during flight through the lower atmosphere, reducing the requirement for active stabilization systems. Guidance is provided by an inertial system, though accuracy is increased when utilizing GPS guidance. The missile carries a conventional payload and is also assessed as a potential delivery vehicle for nuclear warheads. A variant with white livery is utilized for testing reconnaissance satellite components.

The missile is operationally deployed by the Korean People's Army Strategic Force. The technology has been exported to several nations, serving as the basis for the Iranian Shahab-3 and Ghadr-110, as well as the Pakistani Ghauri-1. Syria reportedly received the system and developed a localized version. Iraq attempted to procure the missile prior to 2003, though no hardware was delivered. Reports of Libyan acquisition were disproven during the 2003 dismantlement of its weapons programs. North Korea conducted test firings in 2006 and 2014. The 2014 launches utilized lofted trajectories to reach high altitudes. In December 2022, the satellite-testing variant was launched from the Sohae Satellite Launching Station to evaluate camera systems.

🇮🇷 Iran • 🇵🇰 Pakistan • 🇰🇵 North Korea • 🇸🇾 Syria