YDJ-48 Salmusa
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YDJ-48 is the Menghean designation for the Brimstone ground-attack missile, which Menghe has produced under license since 2005. It is also known by the name Salmusa (살무사), or adder. In Menghean service, the YDJ-48 missile is launched from fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and ground vehicles, in the latter case as part of the Y48G1 or Y48G2 systems.
Design
Land-launch platforms
In addition to launching the missile from fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, Menghe has also invested considerable effort in developing land-launched platforms for the YDJ-48. In the Menghean Army, these systems typically operate at the regimental level in a dedicated tank destroyer battery. Note that the designations Y48G1 and Y48G2 refer to the collective systems (gyetong) of launch vehicles and targeting vehicles, rather than the individual tank destroyers themselves, which have a sub-designation within the system.
Y48G1
This is the first land-launched YDJ-48 system, introduced as a hasty response to the breakdown of relations with Maverica. It was first unveiled to the public at the Victory Day Parade in July 2006, where nine launch vehicles with exposed missiles followed a battery command vehicle. At the time, it fed some speculation about whether the system was fully functional or merely assembled for show. Expert analysts still disagree about how many Y48G1 systems were built and whether they remain in service, but it is clear that the Y48G1B served as an experimental tank destroyer and that the Y48G2B rapidly replaced it in new production.
The tank destroyer component, Y48G1B, consists of the low-profile variant of the BSCh-6 APC with four YDJ-48G missiles on exposed launch rails on the roof. The four-missile launch unit can traverse through 360 degrees and independently elevate to clear terrain ahead of the vehicle, but it cannot retract into the hull. This leaves the missiles fully exposed on the roof. Photos of Y48G1B tank destroyers on tank transporters suggest that a canvas tarp is normally pulled over the launcher during long road marches, protecting the missiles against rain, dirt, and branches, but not heavier damage. Modified Y48G1B2 tank destroyers have also been spotted with large storage boxes over the rear hull, suggesting that the crew may stow the missiles when out of battle. In either case, the crew must exit the vehicle to bring the tank destroyer to a battle-ready state, and the missiles are left exposed to the elements when in combat.
The Y48G1 system is made up of the following components. All are based on the BSCh-6 tracked APC.
- Y48G1JG (jŏnbang gwanchŭk charyang) - Forward observer vehicle with target designation equipment. Crew: 5 (Company CO, company SSGT, driver, optics operator, radio operator)
- Y48G1JS (jungdae saryŏngcha) - Battery command vehicle with signal equipment to coordinate multiple batteries. Crew: 5 (Company XO, driver, gunner, senior radio operator, radio operator)
- Y48G1B (balsagi) - Tank destroyer with four YDJ-48 missiles on exposed launch rails.