At the defence exhibition ADEX 202, Korea Defense Industry (KDI) unveils the new 230 mm unguided rocket for the Chunmoo Multiple Rocket Launcher System (MRLS).

The system in question has been deployed by the Republic of Korea Army (ROKA) since the second half of 2010 with artillery battalions, providing suppression as well as counter-artillery capabilities. Recently, the system has joined the arsenal of the Polish Armed Forces.

According to the manufacturer, the weapon system is capable of firing rockets of various calibers with the longest range featured by the guided CGR080. The CG080 is a 239 mm guided munition developed by KDI, capable of reaching targets at 80 km distance, with a load of anti-tank submunitions or with a high-explosive (HE) warhead. Second in line is the 227 mm unguided rocket, with a 45-km range.

At ADEX 2023,  KDI showcased a new rocket in its pavilion, which derives from the CGR80 system, yet it has a slightly smaller caliber (230 mm). The rockets are packed in a six-munition pod in two rows of three, the same layout adopted for the guided rocket, while two pods are carried by the launcher.

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230 mm unguided rocket technical characteristics:

• Length: 4,000 mm 
• Diameter: 232 mm 
• Weight: 300 kg 
• Operational range: up to 45 km
• CEP (Circular Error Probable): less than 100 meters

Comparing the guided and unguided versions, the guided munition carries around 200 submunitions, and the new variant some 500 submunitions. This was possible thanks to the removal of all guidance subsystems. 

The development of the new unguided munition has been completed and KDI plans to start manufacturing in March 2024, while the Korean Defence Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has already filed a contract whose details remain undisclosed. 

Poland, having recently acquired the Chunmoo, has acquired only the HE version of the 239 mm guided rocket.

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