Hwasong-8 vs Shahab-2: Specs Compared

AI-generated illustration · Not a photograph — Representative exterior of Hwasong-8

ABallistic missiles

Hwasong-8

Medium-range or intermediate-range ballistic missile

AI-generated illustration · Not a photograph

Credit

ForceTally · AI-generated illustration · Not a photograph · AI-generated · OpenAI output terms · Source ↗ · Modified

Shahab-2 — licensed reference photograph

BBallistic missiles

Shahab-2

tactical short-range ballistic missile

Credit

Vahid alpha · CC BY 3.0 · Resized · CC BY 3.0 · Source ↗ · Modified

First system

Second system

At a glance

Side by side

Length comparisonOne shared metre scale

Hwasong-82021 designation · missile length · estimated

14.5–18.5 m

Length source ↗

Shahab-2Length

11.37–12.29 m

Length source ↗

Lengths retain their source configuration and measurement scope.

Measured figures

Head to head

9 of 22 rows sourced on both sides

14.5–18.5m

11.37–12.29m

Length

All recorded figures & sources

4.7 m

2021 designation · hypersonic glide vehicle / re-entry vehicle length; not booster length · estimated

Single source

14.5–18.5 m

2021 designation · missile length · estimated

Single source

14.5–18.5 m (48–61 ft)^[source]2021 designation

11.37–12.29 m

Length

Single source

11.37–12.29 m^[source]

900mm

—

Width

1.4–1.8m

885mm

Diameter

All recorded figures & sources

1.4–1.8 m

2021 designation · missile diameter · estimated

Single source

1.4–1.8 m (4.6–5.9 ft)^[source]2021 designation

0.885 m

Diameter

Single source

0.885 m^[source]

—

6,370–6,500kg

Mass

All recorded figures & sources

6,370–6,500 kg

Mass

Single source

6,370–6,500 kg^[source]

2,000–4,000km

500kmOperational; Operational range

RangeScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

2,000–4,000 km

Maximum; 2021 designation · maximum range · estimated

Single source

2,000–4,000 km (1,200–2,500 mi)^[source]2021 designation

500 km

Operational; Operational range

Single source

500 km^[source]

Bars compare reported quantities only. A larger figure does not make a system better; configurations and test conditions differ.

Configuration

Details

Hwasong-8 and Shahab-2 configuration
Specification	Hwasong-8	Shahab-2
Type	Medium-range or intermediate-range ballistic missile^[source]2021 designation	Tactical SRBM^[source]
Used by	Korean People's Army Strategic Force^[source]2021 designation	See § Operators^[source]
Designed	2021^[source]2021 designation	—
Warhead	Hypersonic glide vehicle "nuclear"^[source]2021 designation	770kg^[source]
Engine	Liquid-propelled engine^[source]2021 designation	Liquid^[source]
Guidance system	guided with vehicle^[source]2021 designation	inertial^[source]
Launch platform	6-axle TEL^[source]2021 designation	—
Dimensions and maximum range (estimated)	The missile's length and diameter are estimated to be 14.5–18.5 m (48–61 ft) and 1.4–1.8 m (4.6–5.9 ft) respectively, while the re-entry vehicle is estimated to be 4.7 m (15 ft) long and 0.9 m (3.0 ft) wide. The maximum range of Hwasong-8 is estimated to be 2,000–4,000 km (1,200–2,500 mi). ^[source]2021 designation; missile dimensions, re-entry vehicle dimensions and maximum-range estimates	—
Place of origin	North Korea^[source]	—
Country of origin	North Korea^[source] North Korea^[source]	Iran^[source] Iran^[source]
In service	—	1990–2016 (in Iran); present (in Syria)^[source]
Manufacturer	—	Iran^[source]
Accuracy	—	500m CEP^[source]
Role	—	tactical short-range ballistic missile^[source]
Source measurement	—	On November 2, 2006, Iran fired unarmed missiles to begin 10 days of military simulations . Iranian state television reported "dozens of missiles were fired, including Shahab-2 and Shahab-3 missiles. The missiles ranged from 300 km to up to 2,000 km. Iranian experts have made some changes to Shahab-3 missiles, installing cluster warheads in them with the capacity to carry 1,400 bombs."^[source]Shahab-2 · History; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Reported operators	—	Reported operator · Iran Reported operator · Ba'athist Syria

FORCETALLY

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Hwasong-8

Shahab-2

Type

Medium-range or intermediate-range ballistic missile^[source]2021 designation

Tactical SRBM^[source]

Used by

Korean People's Army Strategic Force^[source]2021 designation

See § Operators^[source]

Designed

2021^[source]2021 designation

—

Warhead

Hypersonic glide vehicle "nuclear"^[source]2021 designation

770kg^[source]

Engine

Liquid-propelled engine^[source]2021 designation

Liquid^[source]

Guidance system

guided with vehicle^[source]2021 designation

inertial^[source]

Launch platform

6-axle TEL^[source]2021 designation

—

Dimensions and maximum range (estimated)

The missile's length and diameter are estimated to be 14.5–18.5 m (48–61 ft) and 1.4–1.8 m (4.6–5.9 ft) respectively, while the re-entry vehicle is estimated to be 4.7 m (15 ft) long and 0.9 m (3.0 ft) wide. The maximum range of Hwasong-8 is estimated to be 2,000–4,000 km (1,200–2,500 mi). ^[source]2021 designation; missile dimensions, re-entry vehicle dimensions and maximum-range estimates

—

Place of origin

North Korea^[source]

—

Country of origin

North Korea^[source]

Iran^[source]

In service

—

1990–2016 (in Iran); present (in Syria)^[source]

Manufacturer

—

Iran^[source]

Accuracy

—

500m CEP^[source]

Role

—

tactical short-range ballistic missile^[source]

Source measurement

—

On November 2, 2006, Iran fired unarmed missiles to begin 10 days of military simulations . Iranian state television reported "dozens of missiles were fired, including Shahab-2 and Shahab-3 missiles. The missiles ranged from 300 km to up to 2,000 km. Iranian experts have made some changes to Shahab-3 missiles, installing cluster warheads in them with the capacity to carry 1,400 bombs."^[source]Shahab-2 · History; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Reported operators

—

Reported operator · Iran
Reported operator · Ba'athist Syria