At the MSPO 2024 defense exhibition in Poland on September 4, Hanwha Aerospace presented an ambitious proposal to integrate an anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) into the Polish K239 Cheonmu launcher, designated the export version “HOMAR-K.” This concept, capable of striking both land and sea targets, quickly became a focal point within the defense sector.
Sources report that Poland initially requested tactical ballistic missiles akin to the ATACMS during its discussions on the K239 acquisition. This request follows Ukraine’s success with the Tochka-U tactical ballistic missile, which the Ukrainian forces used effectively to strike high-value Russian targets, including the Russian Navy’s Alligator-class landing ship Saratov docked in Berdyansk.
Hanwha is also exploring tactical ballistic missile export opportunities in Southeast Asia. On September 27, at ADAS 2024 in the Philippines, Hanwha showcased a new ASBM variant designed for the K239 Cheonmu platform. According to Jane’s Defense, this missile could enhance the Philippine Army’s coastal strike capabilities and boost coastal defense operations for the nation’s Coast Guard.
The ASBM is the latest compatible munition for the K239, which South Korea and Poland have already fielded. The K239 can deploy various munitions, including 130mm, 239mm, and 600mm rounds, and supports advanced guided systems like the CGR-80 (80km range), CTM-MR (160km range), and CTM-290 (290km range) missiles. Hanwha Aerospace projects that this ASBM, tailored to regional requirements, could reach operational readiness by 2027.
Anti-Ship Ballistic Missiles: Cold War Legacy and Modern-Day’ Carrier Killers’
Ballistic missiles have long been considered some of the most powerful weapons in modern arsenals, with anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs) gaining renewed focus. Originally developed during the Cold War, ASBMs were a Soviet answer to counter U.S. naval dominance. However, nuclear arms control agreements led to a development freeze, keeping these weapons out of active service. Today, countries like Russia, China, and Iran are accelerating ASBM programs to challenge U.S. naval operations, reviving their strategic value.
Earlier this year, the Houthi rebels in Yemen reportedly made military history with ASBMs, marking a significant shift in modern warfare. According to Reuters and AFP, Houthi forces launched missile attacks on U.S. and British vessels in the Red Sea, specifically targeting the American ship Star Nacia and the British vessel Morning Tide. These strikes, part of a campaign against vessels transiting the Red Sea, come in response to Israeli military actions in Gaza.
The Houthis’ use of ASBMs, in tandem with UAVs and anti-ship cruise missiles, marked the first documented case of ASBMs in combat. Reports indicate the Houthis’ ASBM, dubbed the “Asef,” is based on Iranian technology, capable of carrying a 500kg warhead with a range of up to 400 km.
China, meanwhile, is enhancing its ASBM capabilities as a core part of its “A2/AD” (Anti-Access/Area Denial) strategy, which aims to restrict U.S. military movements in the Western Pacific. These “carrier killers” are engineered to locate and track moving naval targets during their terminal approach, making them a formidable threat to U.S. aircraft carriers operating within China’s perceived sphere of influence.
North Korea Joins the A2/AD Push Amid Strategic Reorganization
As global interest in anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs) grows, North Korea is making strides in enhancing its own Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) capabilities. In June 2023, Pyongyang approved a “Military Organization Restructuring Plan,” restructuring its strategic forces into two divisions: one tasked with defense and retaliation against potential U.S. actions targeting China, and the other focused on threats to the U.S. mainland. Analysts view this shift, alongside North Korea’s intensified ballistic missile development and strategic exercises, as integral to its expanding A2/AD framework.
Over the past year, North Korea has rolled out multiple long-range assets to support these ambitions. These include the Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of reaching the U.S. mainland, large-caliber rocket launchers aimed at U.S. installations in South Korea, and various cruise missile platforms. Pyongyang has also heightened military drills that simulate interdiction of U.S. strategic assets in the region, conducting exercises with ballistic and cruise missiles as well as nuclear-capable torpedoes—measures described by North Korean state media as “comprehensive tactical nuclear operations training.”
In response, South Korea is advancing its own ASBM capabilities. According to Naval News, the South Korean Agency for Defense Development (ADD) is progressing on ASBM technology with an eye toward an A2/AD strategy focused on countering Chinese naval power. This move signals a significant regional shift as South Korea seeks to bolster its deterrence and enhance its strategic reach within contested waters.
Hyunmoo-4: Potential to Strike China’s Northern and Eastern Fleets
In a December seminar focused on space and military operations, South Korea’s Agency for Defense Development (ADD) laid out strategies to counter Chinese naval activities, presenting an Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) concept utilizing the Hyunmoo missile series and advanced satellite technology. Inspired by China’s A2/AD framework, the plan proposes a hybrid system combining ballistic missile capabilities with low-orbit reconnaissance satellites equipped with synthetic aperture radar (SAR). This setup would enable South Korea to closely monitor hostile naval movements around the Korean Peninsula and engage these vessels with precision-guided ballistic missiles.
The Hyunmoo-4, with a range of 500-800 km, is a strong candidate for this anti-ship mission. Experts suggest its seeker could lock onto and follow moving naval targets during the terminal phase, making it a formidable asset against active maritime threats. Positioned along South Korea’s western coastline, the Hyunmoo-4 could potentially neutralize significant portions of China’s Northern and Eastern Fleets within minutes of detection. The fleet’s critical bases—Qingdao and Dalian, located 530 km and 470 km from Taean Peninsula, and the Eastern Fleet headquarters in Ningbo, 550 km from Jeju Island—fall within striking distance, allowing South Korea to counter up to 70% of China’s concentrated naval strength in the region if necessary.
This approach underscores South Korea’s resolve to strengthen its defensive reach and enhance strategic autonomy in the face of regional tensions.
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