AGM-684 Baek-Ryong
| AGM-684 Baek-Ryong | |
|---|---|
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| Type | Air-launched cruise missile |
| Place of origin | Joseon |
| Service history | |
| In service | June 2016 – Present |
| Used by | Royal Joseon Air Force |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Hanwha Aerospace |
| Produced | July 2012 |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | more than 3,700 lb (1,680 kg) |
| Length | 20 ft 10 in (6.35 m) |
| Diameter | 2 ft 5 in (705 mm) |
| Warhead | 1 x 300 kg HE(high explosive) warhead or 1 x 150 kt Nuclear warhead |
| Engine | 2.67–3.25 kN (600–730 lbf) |
| Wingspan | 10 ft 2 in (3.1 m) |
Operational range | 3,750 km |
| Speed | 500 mph (800 km/h) |
Guidance system | Inertial guidance system enhanced with Lidar and Terrain Contour Matching (TERCOM). |
Launch platform | KB-1 Gamauji |
The AGM-684 Baek-Ryong is a low-observable, subsonic, turbofan-powered, air-launched cruise missile originally designed and built by Hanwha Aerospace. It is the longest range of air-launched missiles owned by the Royal Joseon Air Force. Due to its large size, the AGM-684 is only operated by KB-1 Gamauji bombers, and is used for conventional strikes or strategic nuclear strikes.
Currently, the AGM-684 is classified as one of the main strategic weapons of the Royal Joseon Armed Forces, and is considered an offensive weapon due to its long-range and nuclear weapons operational capabilities.
Development
The AGM-684 Baek-Ryong is a weapon developed for the purpose of pre-emptive conventional strikes or pre-emptive nuclear strikes. The AGM-684 focuses on pre-emptive strikes rather than secondary retaliation by its nature, which has led to controversy from the beginning of its development. The controversy has largely focused on what could be an excessive military impetus for other countries, but the Ministry of Defense has dismissed such controversies on the basis of securing war deterrence.
Design
The AGM-684 incorporated body shaping and forward swept wings to reduce the missile's radar cross section. The engine air intake was flush mounted on the bottom of the missile to further improve radar cross section. The jet engine exhaust was shielded by the tail and cooled by a diffuser to reduce the infrared signature of the missile. To reduce the missile's electronic signature and thus its chances of detection, the AGM-684 uses a combination of inertial navigation and terrain contour matching (TERCOM) instead of radar. And it is enhanced with highly accurate speed updates provided by a Lidar Doppler velocimeter.
These made the AGM-684 more difficult to detect and allowed the missile to be flown at higher altitudes. The newer Hanwha Aerospace TF-1005 turbofan engine increased the range by about 50% compared to the previous model of the missile.
In 2025, the missile integrated a new image analysis algorithm. Through the new image algorithm, the missile has improved its ability to accurately recognize the target's detailed appearance and strike the target accurately. The newer image algorithm system increased accuracy to a quoted figure of between 0.5 m and 1 m.
Operator
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