N. Korea helped Iran duplicate cruise missiles bought on the black market

North Korea is assisting Iran in the development of cruise missiles, an intelligence source told the Sankei Shimbun December 8.

"Engineers from both countries are collaborating in dismantling and analyzing Kh-55 cruise missiles Iran obtained from Ukraine through a black market route in order to produce a similar missile," the newspaper reported.

A TU-160 launching a KH-55 cruise missile. AFP/Yoshikatsu Tsuno

"The Kh-55 is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, and if Iran succeeds in producing the missile, it could not only threaten the entire Middle East but also, with the benefit of improvements in North Korea's missile capability, cast a shadow on Japan."

Kh-55s obtained by China from Ukraine covertly also were the basis for China's newest long-range cruise missile, the DH-10, which was unveiled by China during the October 1 military parade in Beijing.

According to the intelligence source, Iran obtained 12 Kh-55 missiles from Ukraine through a black market weapons sale in 2001.

The missiles did not have nuclear warheads.

The source said that Iran considered seeking assistance from China, but instead chose North Korea, based on past missile collaboration.

North Korea's Nodong missile, based on Scud technology, was the basis for Iran's Shihab-3 missile.

According to the report, from 2001 North Korean and Iranian engineers began analyzing the Kh-55's construction and performance with the aim of producing the missile in Iran.

But the engineers encountered technical problems in reverse engineering the missile because of the difficulty for both nations in obtaining parts and materials due to UN sanctions.

The report said Iran has not been able to produce its version of the Kh-55.

"Iran's possession of a Kh-55 missile that can carry a nuclear warhead will mean it can widen its threat to not only neighboring regions but also Europe and Asia," the source was quoted as saying.

More info on the 'Carrier Killer' kh55 Sunburn?

VIDEO

From FAS:

Moskit
SS-N-22 Sunburn

Moskit is the aircraft variant of the naval missile 3M80 (SS-N-22 Sunburn, the designation 3M80 apparently referring to the Mach 3 speed of 1980 weapons) used on "Sovremennyy" destroyers (eight missiles on each) and on "Tarantul [Tarantula] III patrol ships (four missiles on each). The 3M82 "Mosquito" missiles have the fastest flying speed among all antiship missiles in today's world. It reaches Mach 3 at a high altitude and its maximum low-altitude speed is M2.2, triple the speed of the American Harpoon. When slower missiles, like the French Exocet are used, the maximum theoretical response time for the defending ship is 150-120 seconds. This provides time to launch countermeasures and employ jamming before deploying "hard" defense tactics such as launching missiles and using quick-firing artillery. But the 3M82 "Mosquito" missiles are extremely fast and give the defending side a maximum theoretical response time of merely 25-30 seconds, rendering it extremely difficult employ jamming and countermeasures, let alone fire missiles and quick-firing artillery.

US Navy has countered with SeaRam

Effective?

Not against saturation attack. How many do Iran / Hizballah have? How fast can they make them?

This missile can be launched by air and SMALL PATROL CRAFT