Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

‘Cheonmu’’s First Unveiling of Live Firing, Covered the Sky with Overwhelming Fire

Based on a scenario in which North Korea opens coastal battery fire, detection radar and unmanned aircraft identified the starting point of provocation

With the K9 self-propelled gun and KH179 towed artillery, the next multiple rocket, ‘Cheonmu’, fired together

Fired the guns of patrol frigate and guided missile patrol gun boat on the sea, destroying the enemy completely with strong firepower

“Bam! Bam! Bam!”

The next multiple rocket launcher, Cheonmu, blasted away. Dozens of 130 mm POD cannonballs flew toward the target, leaving white traces in the sky with a sharp flame.

Our military opened the live firing of Cheonmu to the public during the ‘large scale ground-sea combined firing training’ held on April 4 in Songjiho coastal area in Goseong-gun, Gangwon-do.

Based on a scenario in which North Korea fires artillery shells on our Naval vessel, this training was conducted with around 30 striking assets, such as Cheonmu belonging to 5 artillery corps including the artillery battalion, 130 mm multiple rocket launcher, Guryong, K9 self-propelled gun, and KH179 towed artillery, detection assets, such as reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle and ARTHUR (Artillery Hunting Radar)-K, and around 10 naval vessels, etc. including patrol frigate, guided missile patrol gun boat, and high speed craft, and more.

As soon as the enemy carried out armed provocation, counterbattery radar on the site identified the starting point of enemy’s provocation, and in the air, UAV delivered detailed enemy information obtained to the artillery corps through ATCIS (Army Tactical Command Information System). Based on this information, the K9 self-propelled gun and KH179 towed artillery directly hit the enemy’s major targets. 10 Guryong positioned on the coast fired about 350 rounds of rockets, causing huge losses to the enemy scattered around wide area.

The 6 Cheonmu fired 240 rounds all together, 40 rounds each, then fired around 360 additional rounds, pouring them on the enemy through rapid reloading.

Equipped with an automated firing system, Cheonmu is available for single and multiple action with 230m mm-class guided or non-guided missiles. Its maximum range is 80 kilometers. The 230 mm-class rocket has the power to destroy an area 3 times wider than a soccer field. It can also operate various shells, including 130 mm POD, the same size as Guryong, and the U.S. 227 mm multiple rocket launcher. For POD shells fired on this day, 20 rounds were grouped in POD, reducing re-loading time by 7 minutes. Based on this, while the existing Guryong takes about one hour to get ready to fire, Cheonmu needs approximately within 15 minutes to reach a firing readiness posture.

With ground firepower, there was a rain of artillery shells from the guns of the patrol frigate and the guided missile patrol boat rushed out to destroy the virtual enemy on the sea. The enemy’s provocation disappeared without a trace thanks to our strong firepower from the site as well as on the sea.

Our military reaffirmed its ability to get a head start on the enemy by striking the enemy’s starting point of provocation and its supporting power rapidly, accurately and sufficiently with overwhelming army-navy combined firepower, and acquiring the target using cutting edge detection measures.

Lieutenant colonel Lee Kyung-don, Cheonmu battalion commander, said, “Cheonmu is a weapons system that can hit the enemy with stronger firepower and much faster than in the past. Our military has the best combat readiness posture which can destroy a provocation at its starting point, whatever kind of provocation the enemy carries out. If our enemies provoke us again, we’ll firmly and powerfully punish them so that they realize it will only cause their own destruction”.

Defense Minister Han Min-koo encouraged soldiers while visiting the site

Defense Minister Han Min-koo visited the ‘ground-sea combined firing training’ and encouraged the soldiers who were working hard to establish the utmost military readiness posture. He watched the ‘Cheonmu’ live fire training and said, “Preparing with strong power and a firm will is the only way to protect our nation and people. Put everything in readiness to respond to any kinds of provocations firmly and immediately.”

The Minister also reported the operational status during the inspection by the First ROK Army Command. He asked ”the military keep to its duty no matter the circumstances”, saying ”North Korea may carry out new kinds of provocations, given the increasing pressure from the international community and its internal instability”.

By Chul-Hwan, Kim < droid001@dema.mil.kr >
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