Brussels, 30 June 2014 Ref EEAS 140630/01

" We are deeply concerned about the launch of short range ballistic missiles by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) on 29 June 2014. The firing of ballistic missiles constitutes a clear violation of the DPRK’s international obligations as set out in particular under UN Security Council Resolutions 1718 and 1874.

We call upon the DPRK to comply fully, unconditionally and without delay with all its obligations under the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions. We also urge the DPRK to refrain from any action that could further increase regional tensions."

Note RP Defense : that Spokesperson is "deeply" concerned by a north-korean missile. But,she/he had nor a thought nor a word for a Foreign Legion NCO who died in Mali for Europe safety. Strange world ....

4 April 2014 army-technology.com

The South Korean Defence Ministry has developed a new long-range ballistic missile to boost its defences against North Korean missile threats, an unnamed South Korea military official has revealed.

The missile, with a range of 500km and a 1t payload, was successfully test-fired by the state-funded Agency for Defense Development (ADD), at a testing range in Taean, South Chungcheong Province late last month, Yonhap News Agency reports.

An official said: "The missiles accurately hit the intended target."

"We are now developing 500km ballistic missiles and plan to make 800km missiles."

The test launch of the missile, which is scheduled to be deployed in 2015, follows the firing of a series of short-range rockets and mid-range missiles by Pyongyang in the last few weeks, which was in response to the ongoing annual joint-military drills between South Korea and the US.

South Korean Defence Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok was quoted by the news agency as saying that the missile development forms part of follow-up measures after the revision of missile guidelines by South Korea and the US.

"We are now developing 500km ballistic missiles and plan to make 800km missiles in the future," Min-seok said.

Signed in 1979, the bilateral missile pact saw the US assist in missile technology development, but limited the South Korean ballistic missile range to 180km. However, this was revised in October 2012 to extend the range from the existing 300km to 800km, with a maximum payload of 500kg.

This also enabled Seoul, which currently operates Hyunmoo ballistic missiles with a range of 300km, to develop heavier payloads for short-range missiles.

December 6, 2013: Strategy Page

India recently had another successful test of their Prithvi II ballistic missile. This is progress, because in September 2010 a Prithvi II test failed as the rocket motor began burning fuel, but not enough to get it off the launcher. There was lots of smoke and confusion, but no launch. This was a user trial where military crews were making sure they were able to use a new weapon that had been successfully completed testing using manufacturer personnel to operate it. This is a common practice, but particularly necessary in India, where the manufacturers often cut corners during development and testing. The troops on the military launch crews are usually not privy to these workarounds, and the developers sometimes just keep their fingers crossed that the troops can handle things on their own. For example, in 2009 the first user test of the ground launched BrahMos cruise missile failed. Not a major problem, it turned out. After a few months, everything was put right. That’s what happened with the Prithvi II.

The first successful test of the 4.6 ton Prithvi II took place in 2009 and it successfully hit a target 350 kilometers away. The 2010 launch was to test the ability of the missile to carry a half ton warhead. This is the minimum size for a nuclear warhead. Used with a nuclear warhead Prithvi II is a strategic weapon, since it can put those nuclear warheads on major targets within neighboring Pakistan. In the last three years Prithvi II has been improved to the point where it can reach targets 350 kilometers away while carrying a one ton warhead.

A Prithvi III is in development. This is the Prithvi II modified to be operated from ships. This missile can carry a half ton warhead 600 kilometers. The increase in range and warhead weight for the Prithvi III was achieved by using a solid fuel rocket motor, and adding a second stage with a liquid fuel motor. The Prithvi II uses a liquid fuel rocket. The navy has not installed the Prithvi III on any of its ships because it was discovered that the liquid fuel was too dangerous to handle aboard a ship at sea.

The Prithvi is a ballistic missile that reaches its target within 5-10 minutes of launch and was originally developed as a shorter range (150 kilometers) missile. Prithvi uses liquid fuel, meaning it takes up to an hour to ready for launch. In 2013 India announced that it is replacing over a hundred Prithvi I ballistic missiles with the solid fuel Prahar. While the air force controls long range ballistic missiles, the army has long been supplied with some shorter range Prithvi Is. This is a single stage, road mobile, liquid fuel battlefield support missile that weighs 4.4 tons and is nine meters (27.3 feet) long, 110cm in diameter and costing about a million dollars each. Introduced in 1994, the army version has a 150 kilometer range and carries a one ton warhead.

The Prahar is more compact and reliable. It weighs 1.3 tons, is 7.3 meters (23.6 feet) long and 42cm in diameter, costing less than a million dollars each and carrying a 200 kg (440 pound) warhead. Prahar can be carried and fired from a TEL (Transporter Erector Launcher) that will haul six Prahars, each in a sealed container. Prahar can carry nuclear or conventional warheads and the TEL can fire salvos of up to six missiles, each in quick succession. The guidance system brings the missile to within ten meters of its aiming point. This is more than twice as accurate as Prithvi I. Most importantly, a Prahar can be fired within minutes of receiving the order while the Prithvi I takes over an hour to fuel and prepare for launch.

Prithvi I is similar to the old Russian SCUD, which is a direct descendent of the first ballistic missile, the German V-2 in World War II. The U.S. produced the Corporal missile as an equivalent to the SCUD, but replaced it with solid fuel missiles in the 1960s. Russia replaced its SCUDS in the 1970s and the U.S. replaced its liquid fuel battlefield missiles a decade earlier. But a lot of SCUD type missiles remain in service around the world. India is in the process of replacing most of its liquid fuel missiles with solid fuel types.

TEWKSBURY, Mass., Sept. 23, 2013 /PRNewswire

Production milestone keeps next radar on schedule for 2014 delivery

Raytheon Company has completed the manufacturing of an Antenna Equipment Unit for the AN/TPY-2 ballistic missile defense radar. An integral part of the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS), the AN/TPY-2 searches, discriminates between threats and non-threats, acquires and tracks threat ballistic missiles.

AN/TPY-2 is a mobile X-band radar that helps protect the U.S., warfighters, and America's allies and security partners from the more than 6,300 ballistic missiles the Missile Defense Agency estimates are not controlled by the U.S., NATO, China or Russia. The Antenna Equipment Unit is one of the four major components that comprise the AN/TPY-2 ballistic missile defense radar, and completing the AEU is critical to ensuring Raytheon delivers the ninth radar system to the Missile Defense Agency in early 2014.

"Because of the high demand from forces worldwide, Raytheon remains committed to maintaining its track record of delivering the AN/TPY-2 on cost and on schedule," said David Gulla, vice president of Global Integrated Sensors for Raytheon's Integrated Defense Systems business. "The AN/TPY-2 has a record of flawless test performance and demonstrated capability against many classes of ballistic missiles; so it's important we get the system to those who need it."

The AN/TPY-2 may be deployed globally in either terminal or forward-based mode. In terminal mode, the AN/TPY-2 serves as the search, detect, track, discrimination and fire-control radar for the THAAD weapon system, enabling the THAAD missile to intercept and destroy threats. In forward-based mode, the AN/TPY-2 cues the BMDS by detecting, discriminating and tracking enemy ballistic missiles in the ascent phase of flight.

About AN/TPY-2
AN/TPY-2 is a high resolution, mobile, rapidly deployable X-band radar capable of providing long-range acquisition, precision track, and discrimination of short-, medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles.

• AN/TPY-2 has performed flawlessly in both terminal and forward-based mode in all major tests.
• On Oct. 25, 2012, two AN/TPY-2 radars – one terminal and one forward-based – participated in FTI-01, the MDA's largest and most complex exercise. In a complex raid scenario involving multiple targets, both radars met or exceeded all test objectives.
• On April 15, 2011, a forward-based AN/TPY-2 extended the battlespace by enabling a Standard Missile-3 to launch on remote and intercept a separating intermediate-range ballistic missile.

About Raytheon
Raytheon Company, with 2012 sales of $24 billion and 68,000 employees worldwide, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, security and civil markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 91 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems; as well as a broad range of mission support services. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Mass. For more about Raytheon, visit us at www.raytheon.com and follow us on Twitter @Raytheon.

Note to Editors 
It takes Raytheon 30 months to build an AN/TPY-2 ballistic missile defense radar. The major components of the AN/TPY-2 are the Antenna Equipment Unit, Cooling Equipment Unit, Electronic Equipment Unit and Power Production Unit. 

September 11, 2013 by Shiv Aroor – Livefist

The second test of India's 5,500+ km range Agni-V ballistic missile is scheduled for Sunday, Sept 15 from Wheeler Island in the Bay of Bengal. This will be the second test of India's longest range strategic nuclear-capable weapon after its debut test on April 19 last year. Top sources tell me the Agni-V will be tested in a cannisterised configuration in December.