Characterizing the North Korean nuclear missile threat / Markus Schiller.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Schiller, Markus, 1979-

Series:

Technical report (Rand Corporation) ; TR-1268-TSF.

Technical report ; TR-1268-TSF

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Nuclear weapons--Korea (North).

Nuclear weapons.

Ballistic missiles--Korea (North).

Ballistic missiles.

Strategic culture--Korea (North).

Strategic culture.

Korea (North)--Strategic aspects.

Korea (North).

Korea (North)--Military policy.

Korea (North)--Foreign relations.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (137 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Santa Monica, Calif. : RAND, 2012.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

The security community generally believes that North Korea has a relatively sophisticated guided ballistic missile program. This report questions this view and seeks to better characterize the North Korean missile threat. The author compares the available data on the North Korean missile program against five hypotheses about the program's origins, sophistication, and scale, highlighting inconsistencies.

Contents:

Cover; Title Page; Copyright; Preface; Contents; Figures; Tables; Summary; Acknowledgments; Abbreviations; CHAPTER ONE: Introduction; CHAPTER TWO: Missile Basics; Characteristics; Missile Components; Accuracy and Reliability; Accuracy; Reliability; Basic Facts; Missile Size; Missile Weapon System; Development and Production; Testing; Other Countries' Missile Program Experiences; CHAPTER THREE: The Problem; Known Inconsistencies; Research Question; CHAPTER FOUR: Defining Five Hypotheses About the North Korean Program; The "Reverse Engineering" Hypothesis; Hypothesis; Implications

The "Buy" Hypothesis Hypothesis; Implications; Hypotheses Between the Two Extremes; The "Bluff" Hypothesis; The "Licensed Production" Hypothesis; The "Mixed Sources" Hypothesis; CHAPTER FIVE: What We Know; Missile; Scud B; Scud C; Nodong; Scud D; Taepodong I; Taepodong II/Unha-2/Unha-3; KN-02; Musudan; KN-08; Program; Tests and Training; Personnel; Infrastructure and Facilities; Development and Production; Numbers and Deployments; Exports; Imports; Country; General Aspects; Classification of the Missile Program; Financial, Economic, and Industrial Situation; Other Industrial Programs

Links to Other Countries Other Aspects; CHAPTER SIX: Consistency Check; Scoring System; Evaluation Matrix; Condensed Discussion of the Matrices; Missile; Program; Country; Other Aspects; Results; CHAPTER SEVEN: Discussion; General Considerations; Reverse Engineering; Russian Support; Program Intent; Taepodong I and II; Missile Transfers; The North Korean Threat Situation; The Available Missile Arsenal; Nuclear Warheads?; Implications; Defense Issues; Policy Issues; CHAPTER EIGHT: What We Would Like to Know; CHAPTER NINE: Conclusions; Findings; Answers to the Research Questions; Implications

Recommendations APPENDIX: Details on What We Know; Bibliography

Notes:

Description based on print version record and CIP data provided by publisher; resource not viewed.

"Supported by the Stanton Foundation."

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN:

0-8330-7649-3

OCLC:

811610557