Latest news with #JamesMartinCenterforNonproliferationStudies
Asharq Al-Awsat
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Latest North Korean Ship Can Carry Dozens of Missiles, Analysts Say
North Korea's new class of warship can accommodate dozens of vertical launch cells to carry missiles its military has already developed, analysis of a satellite image showed, a step that would give its navy more punch and create an export opportunity. Little is known about the unnamed class of ships being built in the Chongjin and Nampo shipyards. In December, South Korea's military said they would displace about 4,000 tons, somewhat less than half the size of a US Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. Images captured of the ship in Nampo in the last week of March, however, show cavities on its deck large enough to hold more than 50 missiles, depending on their type, said researcher Jeffrey Lewis. "They're pretty big cavities," said Lewis, director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in California. "I would think 32 (missiles) in front and a few fewer in the back would be a very reasonable number. Or it could be a much smaller number of ballistic missiles." Vertical launch systems (VLS) allow ships to carry more missiles, and make launching and reloading easier. Lewis said North Korea had developed several different types of missile that would be compatible with VLS cells, which Pyongyang had not fielded on any previous surface ship. Such types include anti-ship cruise missiles, land attack cruise missiles, air defense missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles, he added. The new ships' armament seemed to hew close to South Korean navy standards, said Euan Graham, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. "I think we have to take conventional enhancements seriously, because North Korea has limited resources and has invested in nuclear weapons to close the deterrence gap with the Republic of Korea and United States," he added. "So it must fit within their concept of operations, even if the concept appears odd to us." North Korean state media released first photos of the ship in December, when leader Kim Jong Un conducted an inspection. He later made several more visits to the shipyards, where the country said as recently as early March it was also building its first nuclear-powered submarine. "Overwhelmingly powerful warships must serve as a strong nuclear deterrent against hostile forces' habitual 'gunboat diplomacy,'" state media reported Kim as saying. South Korea's national defense ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Lewis said compatibility with a VLS would make the weapons even more attractive as exports for countries that are cut off from, or cannot afford, other arms suppliers. "If you were interested in buying North Korean anti-ship missiles because they were cheap, it would be awfully nice if they came in a tested VLS system," he said. "Quantity has a quality all its own. Those North Korean missiles might not be as good as their Russian counterparts, but they are much, much cheaper." The new ships, although more advanced than others in the North Korean fleet, may not make much of a difference in conflict, said Collin Koh of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. Their locations are well-known, they cannot operate far from North Korean shores and are decades behind the technology in South Korean and US warships. But they show Pyongyang is serious about investments to improve its navy, he said. "The North Korean navy is largely traditionally a coastal defense navy," he said. "So they are likely trying to reinvigorate the fleet." Last year Kim stressed the importance of strengthening North Korea's navy. It recently finished fitting out its latest Sinpo-C ballistic missile submarine, according to 38 North, a Washington-based North Korea monitoring program.
Al Arabiya
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Latest North Korean ship can carry dozens of missiles: Analysts
North Korea's new class of warship can accommodate dozens of vertical launch cells to carry missiles its military has already developed, analysis of a satellite image showed, a step that would give its navy more punch and create an export opportunity. Little is known about the unnamed class of ships being built in the Chongjin and Nampo shipyards. In December, South Korea's military said they would displace about 4,000 tons, somewhat less than half the size of a US Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. Images captured of the ship in Nampo in the last week of March, however, show cavities on its deck large enough to hold more than 50 missiles, depending on their type, said researcher Jeffrey Lewis. 'They're pretty big cavities,' said Lewis, director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in California. 'I would think 32 (missiles) in front and a few fewer in the back would be a very reasonable number. Or it could be a much smaller number of ballistic missiles.' Vertical launch systems (VLS) allow ships to carry more missiles, and make launching and reloading easier. Lewis said North Korea had developed several different types of missile that would be compatible with VLS cells, which Pyongyang had not fielded on any previous surface ship. Such types include anti-ship cruise missiles, land attack cruise missiles, air defense missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles, he added. The new ships' armament seemed to hew close to South Korean navy standards, said Euan Graham, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. 'I think we have to take conventional enhancements seriously, because North Korea has limited resources and has invested in nuclear weapons to close the deterrence gap with the Republic of Korea and United States,' he added. 'So it must fit within their concept of operations, even if the concept appears odd to us.' North Korean state media released first photos of the ship in December, when leader Kim Jong Un conducted an inspection. He later made several more visits to the shipyards, where the country said as recently as early March it was also building its first nuclear-powered submarine. 'Overwhelmingly powerful warships must serve as a strong nuclear deterrent against hostile forces' habitual 'gunboat diplomacy,'" state media reported Kim as saying. South Korea's national defense ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Lewis said compatibility with a VLS would make the weapons even more attractive as exports for countries that are cut off from, or cannot afford, other arms suppliers. 'If you were interested in buying North Korean anti-ship missiles because they were cheap, it would be awfully nice if they came in a tested VLS system,' he said. 'Quantity has a quality all its own. Those North Korean missiles might not be as good as their Russian counterparts, but they are much, much cheaper.' The new ships, although more advanced than others in the North Korean fleet, may not make much of a difference in conflict, said Collin Koh of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. Their locations are well-known, they cannot operate far from North Korean shores and are decades behind the technology in South Korean and US warships. But they show Pyongyang is serious about investments to improve its navy, he said. 'The North Korean navy is largely traditionally a coastal defense navy,' he said. 'So they are likely trying to reinvigorate the fleet.' Last year Kim stressed the importance of strengthening North Korea's navy. It recently finished fitting out its latest Sinpo-C ballistic missile submarine, according to 38 North, a Washington-based North Korea monitoring program.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Latest North Korean ship can carry dozens of missiles, analysts say
By Gerry Doyle SINGAPORE (Reuters) - North Korea's new class of warship can accommodate dozens of vertical launch cells to carry missiles its military has already developed, analysis of a satellite image showed, a step that would give its navy more punch and create an export opportunity. Little is known about the unnamed class of ships being built in the Chongjin and Nampo shipyards. In December, South Korea's military said they would displace about 4,000 tons, somewhat less than half the size of a U.S. Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. Images captured of the ship in Nampo in the last week of March, however, show cavities on its deck large enough to hold more than 50 missiles, depending on their type, said researcher Jeffrey Lewis. "They're pretty big cavities," said Lewis, director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in California. "I would think 32 (missiles) in front and a few fewer in the back would be a very reasonable number. Or it could be a much smaller number of ballistic missiles." Vertical launch systems (VLS) allow ships to carry more missiles, and make launching and reloading easier. Lewis said North Korea had developed several different types of missile that would be compatible with VLS cells, which Pyongyang had not fielded on any previous surface ship. Such types include anti-ship cruise missiles, land attack cruise missiles, air defence missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles, he added. The new ships' armament seemed to hew close to South Korean navy standards, said Euan Graham, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. "I think we have to take conventional enhancements seriously, because North Korea has limited resources and has invested in nuclear weapons to close the deterrence gap with the Republic of Korea and United States," he added. "So it must fit within their concept of operations, even if the concept appears odd to us." North Korean state media released first photos of the ship in December, when leader Kim Jong Un conducted an inspection. He later made several more visits to the shipyards, where the country said as recently as early March it was also building its first nuclear-powered submarine. "Overwhelmingly powerful warships must serve as a strong nuclear deterrent against hostile forces' habitual 'gunboat diplomacy,'" state media reported Kim as saying. South Korea's national defence ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Lewis said compatibility with a VLS would make the weapons even more attractive as exports for countries that are cut off from, or cannot afford, other arms suppliers. "If you were interested in buying North Korean anti-ship missiles because they were cheap, it would be awfully nice if they came in a tested VLS system," he said. "Quantity has a quality all its own. Those North Korean missiles might not be as good as their Russian counterparts, but they are much, much cheaper." The new ships, although more advanced than others in the North Korean fleet, may not make much of a difference in conflict, said Collin Koh of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. Their locations are well-known, they cannot operate far from North Korean shores and are decades behind the technology in South Korean and U.S. warships. But they show Pyongyang is serious about investments to improve its navy, he said. "The North Korean navy is largely traditionally a coastal defence navy," he said. "So they are likely trying to reinvigorate the fleet." Last year Kim stressed the importance of strengthening North Korea's navy. It recently finished fitting out its latest Sinpo-C ballistic missile submarine, according to 38 North, a Washington-based North Korea monitoring programme.
Reuters
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Latest North Korean ship can carry dozens of missiles, analysts say
SINGAPORE, April 2 (Reuters) - North Korea's new class of warship can accommodate dozens of vertical launch cells to carry missiles its military has already developed, analysis of a satellite image showed, a step that would give its navy more punch and create an export opportunity. Little is known about the unnamed class of ships being built in the Chongjin and Nampo shipyards. In December, South Korea's military said they would displace about 4,000 tons, somewhat less than half the size of a U.S. Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. Images captured of the ship in Nampo in the last week of March, however, show cavities on its deck large enough to hold more than 50 missiles, depending on their type, said researcher Jeffrey Lewis. "They're pretty big cavities," said Lewis, director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in California. "I would think 32 (missiles) in front and a few fewer in the back would be a very reasonable number. Or it could be a much smaller number of ballistic missiles." Vertical launch systems (VLS) allow ships to carry more missiles, and make launching and reloading easier. Lewis said North Korea had developed several different types of missile that would be compatible with VLS cells, which Pyongyang had not fielded on any previous surface ship. Such types include anti-ship cruise missiles, land attack cruise missiles, air defence missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles, he added. The new ships' armament seemed to hew close to South Korean navy standards, said Euan Graham, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. "I think we have to take conventional enhancements seriously, because North Korea has limited resources and has invested in nuclear weapons to close the deterrence gap with the Republic of Korea and United States," he added. "So it must fit within their concept of operations, even if the concept appears odd to us." North Korean state media released first photos of the ship in December, when leader Kim Jong Un conducted an inspection. He later made several more visits to the shipyards, where the country said as recently as early March it was also building its first nuclear-powered submarine. "Overwhelmingly powerful warships must serve as a strong nuclear deterrent against hostile forces' habitual 'gunboat diplomacy,'" state media reported Kim as saying. South Korea's national defence ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Lewis said compatibility with a VLS would make the weapons even more attractive as exports for countries that are cut off from, or cannot afford, other arms suppliers. "If you were interested in buying North Korean anti-ship missiles because they were cheap, it would be awfully nice if they came in a tested VLS system," he said. "Quantity has a quality all its own. Those North Korean missiles might not be as good as their Russian counterparts, but they are much, much cheaper." The new ships, although more advanced than others in the North Korean fleet, may not make much of a difference in conflict, said Collin Koh of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. Their locations are well-known, they cannot operate far from North Korean shores and are decades behind the technology in South Korean and U.S. warships. But they show Pyongyang is serious about investments to improve its navy, he said. "The North Korean navy is largely traditionally a coastal defence navy," he said. "So they are likely trying to reinvigorate the fleet." Last year Kim stressed the importance of strengthening North Korea's navy. It recently finished fitting out its latest Sinpo-C ballistic missile submarine, according to 38 North, a Washington-based North Korea monitoring programme.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
China building nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to rival US
China is developing a new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier which would be larger and more advanced than any existing vessel in its fleet, in an attempt to keep pace with the US navy. The new supercarrier would allow fighter jets to be launched from four parts of the flight deck, as opposed to its current ships which can only facilitate three, according to new satellite imagery reviewed by NBC News. That would match the capability of USS Gerald R. Ford, the largest and most advanced aircraft carrier in the US navy. Images from the Dalian shipbuilding facility in northeast China show tracks or trenches in the snow, which appear to be related to a new catapult launch system. Analysts said that while the images don't show construction under way just yet, they are an indication that China is moving forward with its ambitious plans. 'We think this is them testing equipment and layouts for the upcoming Type 04 carrier,' Michael Duitsman, a researcher at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies in the US, told NBC. China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, was commissioned in 2012 and its second, the Shandong, was launched in 2017. Both use the 'ski-jump' method, which involves a ramp at the end of a short runway to propel the planes upward. The country's third and most advanced carrier to date, the Fujian, launched in 2022 and was upgraded with electromagnetic catapults, which are more similar to the systems used onboard US ships. All three of China's carriers are conventionally powered, unlike the upcoming one, which experts believe would be powered by a nuclear reactor given its size and capacity. The tracks seen in the latest satellite images run at convergent angles, which experts say resemble the configuration of existing American supercarriers that have four electromagnetic catapults. Mr Duitsman said that it seems likely that China's new carrier would resemble the USS Gerald R. Ford. China already has the largest navy in the world, with 370 military vessels, but America, with 291 vessels, has more big ships. The Gerald Ford is one of 11 supercarriers in the US navy. Rumours have circulated for years that China is preparing to build a Type 04 carrier. However, Beijing has refused to confirm any reports and very little information has been made public. Last November, analysts at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in the US revealed that China had built a land-based prototype nuclear reactor for a large surface warship. Until the satellite images from Dalian, this was the first and only piece of evidence that Beijing was developing a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. China has not commented on the latest reports about its plans for a supercarrier. However, last March, Yuan Huazhi, the political commissar of the Chinese People's Liberation Army navy, told the state-backed Global Times that there was no bottleneck in China's aircraft carrier technologies and development was progressing smoothly. At the time, Yuan also said that more information would be made available 'soon', but little has been heard from Beijing since. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
