"Could North Korea Annihilate Seoul with Its Artillery?" Topic

"For most armies, artillery is just one component of an all-arms force consisting of infantry, armor and artillery. But North Korea's curious strategic location, with the enemy capital within striking range, has turned the country's arsenal of howitzers and rocket launchers collectively into a weapon of mass destruction, capable of reducing Seoul to rubble within days. Or does it? Has the threat to the capital by North Korea's "King of Battle" been overstated?

During the Cold War, North Korea built up an oversized army—and artillery corps—as part of its goal of re-invading South Korea. The North Korean People's Army Artillery Command is responsible for 12,000 pieces of tube artillery and 2,300 pieces of multiple launch rocket artillery over 107-millimeters. The majority of tube artillery are 122-, 130-, 152- and 170-millimeter units, and on the rocket side the majority are 240-millimeter units.

Artillery is particularly useful in Korea. The hilly, forested terrain common on much of the peninsula restricts line of sight, shortening direct fire ranges. Indirect weapons, such as howitzers, rocket launchers and mortars, can be useful for striking targets on the other side of a mountain or in a valley. Moreover, mountainous terrain may also block units from receiving long-range artillery support, making it vital for smaller units to have enough artillery firepower to conduct their own local attacks…"
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Amicalement
Armand

Of course they can. They can also reach the US with their 'secret' weapons and destroy everyone and everything everywhere! Beware 'KJU'! He says it's all true.

StratFor did a good analysis of the new Korean war prospects for all participants, too. link

It certainly has the rockets and missiles to do it. And they don't all have to be HE. But Chem, Bio, and God for bid Nucs. All very deadly in their own right.

I'm not sure if there is many tube artillery that can fire 35 miles though. The distance from the DMZ to Seoul.

Today's Norks ain't going to reach Seoul…(I'll show myself out)

I agree ! The ROKs and US have the assets and firepower to stop such an attack. But Seoul may still be hit with some of all the rockets & missiles the Norks have. If those can't take out by TLAMs/CMs, CAS, etc. Or intercepted by US ADA like THAAD. Or even the Patriot. Like during GW II.

And just to note the Norks do have the M-1978 170mm SPA. With RAP it's max range may be around 35-6 miles(?). But I'd think most of those would be suppressed/gone. Again by TLAMs/CMs etc.

The situation as I see it if the Kimchi hits the fan there. The US (and it's UN allies ?) would almost simultaneously with CMs take out all the Nork ADA and all their known missile/rocket artillery. Along with the Nork AF. With both naval and air CMs.

Then CAP/CAS goes in to clean up anything left. With the Nork ADA gone. And most of it's AF. Maybe even then drop some Massive Ordinance Penetrators(MOP). The Hardheaded version of the MOAB, from C-130s once air superiority is achieved. And it has to come rapidly. The MOP would be useful in taking out the Nork heavily entrenched C3. And yes that should/would include Un and his cronies. And some MOABs could be used on some targets too.

US/ROK(UN?) FA along the DMZ could take out Nork ADA and FA in range as well. And any troop concentrations once the ADA/FA is gone.

Regardless there will be a lot of loses, on all sides. With the majority coming from the Norks. Plus the PRC would probably take a fit. But they don't want to have a Korean War II. And without Un it would be better for the Koreas and the PRC overall.

But I fear even with this massive air offensive some Nork missiles will still hit Seoul.

Thanks for the link!.

Amicalement
Armand

Forgive me for not knowing the designation of the technology, but apparantly (according to a mainstream news report I saw) the US has vehicle based electronic systems that can track a first volley of incoming NK artillery and rockets. By doing this they can instantly calculate the source of the fire and all hell will be unleashed in the form of MLRS units counter firing their own rockets en masse at the the NK launchers and artillery pieces before they can move again.

It's harder to actually stop the shells from a first volley of artillery from NK landing but I'm pretty sure there won't be a second volley if this is accurate information.

The only thing that worries me about a NK conflict is them getting one nuke off at Tokyo, Beijing or Seoul before they're decimated themselves. They fired ballistic missiles over Hokkaido a couple of times when I was living there in the mid-oughts. Them US F15s regularly flying over from Misawa made me feel safer though. I'll never forget seeing a flight of over 20 military helos (JSDF, US?) over Saitama. That's real power man, back here in Australia all we ever see is a couple of Super Hornets on ANZAC day..

"The ROKs and US have the assets and firepower to stop such an attack".

Perhaps the SKs do.

Not sure we have the ammo stockpiles, given ALL the bombs and other ordnance dropped in the fights on ISIS, AQ, and other jihadi groups, especially due to sequester.

If only 30% of our jets are airworthy due to a lack of spare parts and too many air-frame hours, it makes one wonder how our bomb stockpiles are?

the US has vehicle based electronic systems that can track a first volley of incoming NK artillery and rockets. By doing this they can instantly calculate the source of the fire and all hell will be unleashed in the form of MLRS units counter firing their own rockets en masse at the the NK launchers and artillery pieces before they can move again.

Yes, that type of tech has been around for a while and has only gotten better. As tech evolves.

The US has shot down missiles/rockets before as in GWII, as well. Using upgraded Patriot ADA systems. There are a number of unclassified systems out there today. THAAD, etc. Plus ?

The US helped fund and design the very effective IDF Iron Doom system. For shooting down rockets, mortar rounds, etc. Which also means it available to the US, AFAIK.

In A'stan there is a modified Vulcan Phalanx system that shoots done Taliban/etc., mortar rounds.

The rub would be to get all Un's launchers before they fire as well as missiles already in the air. The Norks will probably use the tactic of volley firing everything they have to overwhelm the US/ROK systems. So unfortunately some may get thru …

And hopefully the "ANZACs" and JSDFs will be involved at some level in supporting this operation/campaign. Again it is a UN mission.

"The ROKs and US have the assets and firepower to stop such an attack".

I just quoted myself !

However, I see much of the initial attack on Un's batteries will be from Cruise Missiles from the sea, with DDGs, SSGNs, etc. Plus aircraft like B-52Hs that can pack 20 Cruise Missile type weapons. And of course all the other ground and air assets and systems available.

Perhaps the SKs do.

They have produced some of their own weapons systems, etc., as well as buying the US's, etc. They have been preparing for this "War of Unification" for a very long time. I'd think they are prepped and ready. But don't know that for a fact, however …

In A'stan there is a modified Vulcan Phalanx system that shoots done Taliban/etc., mortar rounds.

Wow that's cool, let's hope it and other similar systems are on the ground in South Korea now.

Re: ANZAC committment to a conflict?

I don't know, our government is so casualty averse the last couple of decades. Apparantly the Australian Army wanted to provide a full armored cavalry regiment for the push to Baghdad in '03 and the Americans were big on it too. The idea was we would screen the US Marines' left flank and it would be a real test of Australia's ability to actually fight a large scale battle. We would have taken casualties though. SO Prime Minister Howard vetoed the idea and sent special forces and air assets only. Our follow on ground forces stuck to safe areas and didn't really do anything. We flew in aid guarded by commandos for the TV cameras that wasn't actually needed. It just sat on the tarmac for weeks and went bad. Hey, at least we didn't take any KIA..haha flag waving at it's best.

Today we still prefer to stick to training only roles in ME.

I predict if war does break out Australia will send a single mine clearance ship ASAP as a flag waving exercise. Hey! We were there supporting our ally!

The US THAAD deployed in the ROK recently is a pretty good system … That along with other ADA/AAA could be critical. link

Well even if the RAN just sends a Mine Sweeper that is at least something. I'm pretty sure the UN won't be sending forces and array of forces. Like in the Korean War '50-'53. So much has change since then. Many in the UN are not allies or even friends.

Amen