On Thursday, April 25, 2024, at the Anheung range in South Pyongan Province (approximately 100 km southwest of Seoul), belonging to the South Korean Agency for Defense Development (ADD), an upgraded tactical ballistic missile CTM-290, intended for export markets, was tested for the first time from the Polish multiple rocket launcher Homar-K.
Photos: Hanwha Aerospace
Importantly, it was also the first test with the Topaz Automated Fire Control System (TOPAZ AFCS), integrated with the Homar-K launcher by the WB Group, based on the agreement with Hanwha Aerospace from February 12, 2023. Topaz AFCS is the primary system for managing the battlefield and exchanging tactical information in artillery subunits of Rocket and Artillery Forces and Land Forces (Poland with the TOPAZ system accepted into ASCA).
The demonstration was conducted for representatives of the Polish government delegation led by Deputy Minister of National Defense Paweł Bejda, who later signed a second executive contract with Hanwha Aerospace for 72 Homar-K launcher modules, including additional CTM-290 ballistic missiles.
This was also the second test of the CTM-290 missile. However, the first test, conducted on January 11 of this year, was launched from the Korean K239L launcher of the Chunmoo system. The missile will be offered to other existing users of the system, namely Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Importantly, the tested missile is a different missile system than the currently used Ure-I/KTSSM Block-I missiles or the planned Ure-II/KTSSM Block-II (Korea Tactical Surface-to-Surface Missile). One could say it is an upgraded export version of the KTSSM Block-I.
The training CTM-290 missile precisely struck the designated target
In February 2023, Korean authorities reported that the ballistic missiles with a range of 290 km, ordered by Poland, would share basic technologies with the Ure-II/KTSSM Block 2 and would exhibit similar concepts, but they would be a separate armament system.
As a result, the CTM-290 missile is an export variant of the upgraded Ure-I/KTSSM Block-I missile, which can be seen as an intermediate solution between the existing Ure-I/KTSSM Block-I missile and the developing Ure-II/KTSSM Block-II. Its airframe has a similar configuration and appearance to the Ure-I/KTSSM Block-I with a caliber of 600 mm, but its performance is superior. It can be launched from a modified Chunmoo launcher, and its range has been increased to 290-295 km, in accordance with the provisions of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) agreement.
Furthermore, it is known that the warheads carried by the CTM-290 are essentially penetrating and thermobaric warheads from the Ure-I/KTSSM Block-I, while the planned Ure-II/KTSSM Block-II will additionally carry a third type: a high explosive (HE) warhead.
Ballistic missile pod pic.twitter.com/eahN0y7Ihm
— ハク Mason (@mason_8718) April 24, 2024
W dniu 24 kwietnia podczas wizyty polskiej delegacji rządowej na poligonie Agencji Rozwoju Obrony (ADD) w Anheung został pomyślnie wystrzelony pocisk CTM-290 z „Homar-K”, polskiej wersji Chunmoo, demonstrując interoperacyjność systemów obydwu krajów. CTM to precyzyjnie… pic.twitter.com/vQLfiRznB8
— Hanwha Aerospace Europe (@HanwhaEurope) April 25, 2024