Magnetic guidance systems and intercontinental nuclear torpedos

[fr0ster]

I think they definitely can. Gyros and Accelerometers are cheap and probably more accurate than those used in 60s. They will have to isolate these sensors form the rockets vibration else they will go crazy. But I think it can be done. And they probably have good enough radar system. I think building a inertial guidance system would be pretty easy. The rocket would be the hardest part. You need a rocket that you can control with good accuracy and precision because being a meter/s fast or slow will lead to missing the target by a few kilometers. But hey why worry about few kilometers when your bomb's kill radius is 20 kilometers.

All what they have, it old soviet developments in space technology. MEMC-gyros are unusable for navigation system of space rocket. Sensors need protection from vibration, static electric and other. Those sensors have inadequate reliability and they need redundancy and duplication. As a result - size and weight are increases.

For using inertial guidance system you must have the good experts in ballistics.
I think north Korea not have experts for building and using inertial guidance system, not have experts for building systems on modern electronic components.

If building navigation system on components from digikey was simple, we have many robotic submarine by group of hobbyist or students
But I know of one such development

I hope you will understand me despite to my bad English

[Red Squirrel]

I think North Korea just tests in KSP first, then they replicate it in real life. 

[fr0ster]

In country like North Korea even test can have dangerous results, first for themselves. As example i can remember Chernobyl in USSR.

[janoc]

They don't have to make it. They can just order it from digikey.

I think they can not build navigation systems for military goals with electronic elements from digikey.

You are vastly underestimating the ingenuity of engineers when forced to work with limited resources. The entire Soviet bloc was heavily embargoed, similar to how North Korea is today. Certainly no "shopping at Digikey" for them at the time and only very restricted access to modern equipment and parts. Did that stop them from building missiles and nukes?

Yes, that stuff was crude by western standards but it certainly did work, often more reliably than the more sophisticated western gear. And for delivering a nasty payload - be it a nuke or something else - you don't really need to be pinpoint accurate or use a multi-million $ guidance system.

[janoc]

All what they have, it old soviet developments in space technology. MEMC-gyros are unusable for navigation system of space rocket. Sensors need protection from vibration, static electric and other. Those sensors have inadequate reliability and they need redundancy and duplication. As a result - size and weight are increases.

That's not quite true. They have shown no problems with procuring equipment that is supposed to be embargoed - by going through a
chain of middlemen and allied countries (like Pakistan or Iran).

For using inertial guidance system you must have the good experts in ballistics.
I think north Korea not have experts for building and using inertial guidance system, not have experts for building systems on modern electronic components.

Well, considering that they have managed to put a satellite into space, I would say that they aren't *that* incompetent.    Whether they could do this repeatedly with a reasonable success rate is another story, but the capability is certainly there.

Underestimating the enemy is bound to bring you an unwelcome surprise sooner or later.

If building navigation system on components from digikey was simple, we have many robotic submarine by group of hobbyist or students
But I know of one such development

There are actually quite a few. It really isn't that hard or out of reach of a student team (or even hobbyists):
http://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/transportation/marine/robotic-boat-hits-1000-mile-makr-in-transatlantic-crossing
http://www.tsogpss.co.uk.gridhosted.co.uk/autop.htm
http://newatlas.com/solar-voyager-autonomous-boat-atlantic/43738/
https://rucool.marine.rutgers.edu/atlantic/

There are even competitions in it:
http://www.microtransat.org/

[janoc]

The bigger issue is what happens AFTER some nutter nukes the USA.

even with that lunatic Trump in the White House, i suspect the retaliation would be excessive.

It's not called MAD for nothing you know........

I think those nutters are well aware of that. They are building the nukes and missiles mostly for propaganda reasons and a way to somehow force others to treat them as equals (i.e. ego reasons), not really to nuke anyone. They are crazy, but not really that crazy.

That's why you get a declaration of war and all sorts of threats several times a year from them. Then they fire a few missiles into the sea and that is where it usually stops. It is propaganda for keeping their own population in check ("See comrades, the imperialists are afraid of our weapons, that's why they don't dare to attack us! So work harder now to keep it that way!") , they are not suicidal to actually try to attack someone.

[EEVblog]

I think those nutters are well aware of that. They are building the nukes and missiles mostly for propaganda reasons and a way to somehow force others to treat them as equals (i.e. ego reasons), not really to nuke anyone. They are crazy, but not really that crazy.

Don't underestimate crazy.

[janoc]

I think those nutters are well aware of that. They are building the nukes and missiles mostly for propaganda reasons and a way to somehow force others to treat them as equals (i.e. ego reasons), not really to nuke anyone. They are crazy, but not really that crazy.

Don't underestimate crazy.

True, but also don't undersestimate the appeal of a comfy life where everything is taken care of for you (the leader, not the people, obviously). Why would you want to destroy all that only to prove to those pesky Americans that you have a nuke?

Communists were ideological nutcases but communism collapsed on a single thing - human greed (which leads to corruption ...). If Kim was a religious nut on the other hand ...