The K239 Chunmoo, a.k.a. K-MLRS, is the rising star of the multiple rocket launcher system,
shortly MLRS, in the international market. It is even tottering the HIMARS to some degree. Why has
the K239 abruptly come to the fore? What are the features that put the Chunmoo ahead of its
competitors? As the Weapon Detective, we are now investigating the K239, another success story from
the South Korean defence industry. The K239 Chunmoo
has been a lesser-known military system until this year. But, it is now at the top
of the agenda with three major acquisition programmes. To better understand this wind
of change, let's briefly look at the historical background and technical features of the K239.
In the early 1970s, the South Korean Army or Republic of Korea Army, ROKA for short,
began to seek an MLRS to encounter the North Korean 122mm BM-21 Grad and its local derivatives.
The U.S.A, the primary arms supplier of South Korea at that time, had no such system.
So, Seoul decided to develop an MLRS indigenously.
The ROKA took the fruit of this programme, the 130mm 36-barrelled K136 Kooryong,
into the service in 1981. Its K30 rocket's 23 kilometres range was longer than the BM-21,
which was less than 21 kilometres range. But in the mid-1980s, the North Korean
Army or Korean People's Army, KPA for short, introduced the 240mm artillery
rockets with 65 kilometres range. To encounter the new threat,
Seoul first tried to acquire the 220mm Uragans and 300mm Smerchs from Russia in the mid-1990s.
Russia had previously given South Korea T-80s, BMP-3s and Ka-27s to pay off some of its debt.
But this time, Moscow refused the request. So, South Korea purchased the M270s and ATACMS
missiles from the U.S.A. in the early 2000s. Thanks to the deal, the local Hanwha company
also began to produce the ATACMS parts under license from Lockheed Martin. It has provided
a significant technology transfer for the future South Korean artillery rocket programme.
The development phase of the new MLRS to replace the K136s began in 2009.
Hanwha was responsible for the rockets, the South KoreanAgency for Defense Development for
the launcher, and Doosan DST for the vehicle. It would have the capability of firing both medium
and big-calibre rockets. The development of the K239 Chunmoo was completed in 2013. Initial
production was carried out in 2014, and the new MLRS entered into the ROKA service in 2015.
One year later, Hanwha acquired the Doosan DST and became the sole supplier.
Each launch vehicle, called K239L, is paired with a K239T ammunition support vehicle,
which carries four reload pods. They share the same truck,
which reduces maintenance burden and costs. A ROKA Chunmoo battery consists of 18 MLRS
and one K277 command post vehicle. The K239 has two launch pods, which
can fire different calibre rockets. Each pod can carry 20 130mm, six 230mm, or six 239mm rockets.
The MLRS can simultaneously be fitted with two separate pods carrying different calibre rockets.
These rockets are placed in sealed pods in the factory.
Thus, they are free from the adverse effects of the sun, dust, rain
etc. and can be stored without any maintenance for years.
The K239 can fire all 130mm artillery rocket types used in the K136, such as the 22 kilometres ranged
K37, 23 kilometres ranged K30, 30 kilometres ranged K38, and 36 kilometres ranged K33.
The 230mm KM26A2 is a modified variant of the 227mm M26 unguided rocket used with
the M270. Its range is 45 kilometres. The 239mm rockets have two variants,
an unguided one with 80 kilometres range and a GPS/INS-guided with 160 kilometres range.
Their fuse has impact and delay mode options. Thanks to the delay mode, the rocket can be
effective against bunkers, which the KPA has numerous of them along the demilitarized zone.
The guided variant has a circular error probable of 10 to 15 metres.
In June 2022, the South Korean Agency for Defense Development revealed a new 239mm
rocket variant, which would have the same 200 kilometres range as the KPA's 300mm KN-90.
But, the North Koreans already have rockets with 300 kilometres range.
According to Hanwha Defense's K239 Chunmoo promotional video,
the MLRS would launch 400 and 600-mm rockets, whose development work is in progress.
The K239 can be fitted with a pod carrying different
calibre rockets, such as 122mm, on demand. The MLRS has a fast reaction time and can begin
to fire within several minutes after stopping. Four hydraulic jacks are lowered on the ground
to stabilize the vehicle in the firing position. The launchers have a traverse of 360 degrees.
A full salvo takes 1 minute and saturates an area the size of three football fields.
The MLRS has a load-lifting device. Its reloading time is 7 to 10 minutes.
The 8x8 truck chassis of the K239, supported by the central tire inflation system,
has relatively good off-road mobility. Initially, the ROKA had requested the Chunmoo
to be MLRS with high strategic mobility capable of being transported by the C-130. However,
it later abandoned this demand due to the priority given to ballistic protection.
The crew of the K239 can control all the firing operations from inside the armoured cabin,
which is resistant to small arms and shell splinters. There is also a remote control
option. The vehicle has CBRN protection. Yet, all launch units and the related subsystems can
be fitted on another suitable truck. If requested, a machine gun can be
mounted on the armoured cabin. There is also a firing port on each door.
Poland, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates have already chosen the K239.
The MLRS is still under consideration in Australia and Norway.
The K239 has a three-person crew consisting of a commander, operator and driver.
The MLRS has a length of 9 metres, a width of 2.9 metres, and a height of 3.3 metres.
Its weight is 31,000 kilograms without the pods. The 450-horsepower Hyundai Doosan Infracore DV11K
diesel engine provides a road speed of up to 80 kilometres per hour. Its range is 450
kilometres. The K239 can negotiate 1.4-metre trenches and be ford to a depth of 1.2 metres.
The 130mm medium-range rockets of the K239 give an essential capability to the ROKA.
In a possible war on the Korean Peninsula, the ROKA will have to encounter the 4th largest army
in the world, the KPA Ground Force, which has nearly a million soldiers, over 4,000 tanks,
over 8,500 artillery pieces and about 5,500 MLRSs. The South Koreans need the saturation attack
capability against such a human, armour and firepower storm.
Together with the K9 self-propelled howitzers, the K239 with the 130mm rockets can create a
fire set to hold a possible massive KPA attack. Also, the long-range 230 and 239mm rockets of the
Chunmoo can paralyze the North Korean command and communication capabilities and logistic lines and
destroy the artillery and air-defence batteries. We should not forget that in 2003,
the U.S. Army announced redeploying its 2nd Infantry Division in Korea southward.
The K239 has taken over the long-range artillery defence mission against the KPA from the 210th
Field Artillery Brigade of this U.S. division. So, South Korea needed to develop an MLRS
such as the Chunmoo. The K239 offers about
twice the firepower as the HIMARS, which has proved its effectiveness in Ukraine.
The guided rockets of the HIMARS have a range of fewer than 100 kilometres.
Its ER GMLRS rockets can reach a distance of 150 kilometres.
So, the 160 kilometres ranged 239mm guided rockets of the K239 offer an extended strike capability.
Of course, the range of the ATACMS missile is 300 kilometres. But, the South Koreans are
working on a new rocket with a similar capability. So, the K239 offers more firepower than the HIMARS
and more or less the same capability in terms of range. But, it has some significant advantages
over its rival in the international market. Since the First Cold War ended, the Western
defence industries have become profit-oriented due to reduced war risk. This has increased
the costs dramatically. But, South Korea, which
is under imminent risk of war, can produce weapon systems at more affordable prices.
Also, supporting Ukraine in its war effort is depleting the weapon stocks of the U.S. Army.
Therefore, U.S. defence companies have to prioritize production for their own countries.
The increased demand also increases the costs and delivery time.
This vicious cycle affects their hands in the international markets negatively.
On the other hand, South Korea can deliver a modern and effective MLRS
in a shorter time and at lower costs. Besides, the U.S.A. has a more
conservative policy than South Korea regarding technology transfer and industrial cooperation.
So, South Korea managed to sell 300 K239s to Poland, which had ordered 20 HIMARSs.
Initially, Warsaw wanted to acquire more HIMARSs. But, the U.S.A. could not grant such a deal at
an affordable price and in a short time. Poland has a large MLRS fleet on paper.
But, it is known that it sold many RM-70s and BM-21s to Czechia and
donated some of them to other countries. Many former 122mm MLRSs of the Polish Land
Forces are being used in Ukraine today. Poland also has the locally produced
WR-40 Langustas, whose 122mm rockets have a more extended range than the 130mm rockets of the K329.
But probably, the rocket pods of the new Polish Chunmoos will be reconfigured into
locally-developed 122mm rockets. And they will be fitted on Poland-made Jelcz trucks.
So, we can say that the Polish Land Forces chose the K239 for its 230 and 239mm rockets.
After opening a production line in Poland, we may begin to see this MLRS and its rockets in Ukraine.
Hanwha is also negotiating with the Norwegian Kongsberg about a possible integration of the
NSM anti-ship missile on the K239. So, the Chunmoo will also have the potential
to strengthen the land-based anti-surface warfare capability of Poland, which already has the NSMs.
Speaking of Norway, this country already has the South Korean K9s
and is considering acquiring the K239 now.
Also, this month, South Korea offered the K239 to Australia, which plans to acquire 20 HIMARSs.
In Norway and Australia, the K239 has the same advantages over the HIMARS;
lower costs, shorter delivery time, and higher industrial cooperation opportunities.
This MLRS undoubtedly represents another achievement of the South Korean defence industry.
We may say that thanks to the new artillery concept, proven by HIMARS in Ukraine,
the K239 gains new customers and beats its rival in the international market.
The profit-oriented policy of the Western defence companies causes this ironic situation.
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