Analysis North Korea army equipment military parade February 2018

Thursday, February 8, 2018, at the military parade that celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Korean People's Army that was held Pyongyang (North Korea), North Korean armed forces have unveiled a large number of new combat vehicles including main battle tanks, armoured personnel carrier, artillery howitzers, air defense systems and rocket launcher systems. Analysis and pictures of new military equipment shown at the North Korean military parade by Army Recognition editorial team.

Global view of the military parade that celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Korean People's Army in Pyongyang, North Korea, February 8, 2018.(Picture source KCNA via Internet)

A. Main Battle Tanks MBTs:

1. Songun-ho II MBT with new secondary armament

The Songun-ho is a new development of North Korean Main Battle Tank (MBT) based on the Pokpung-ho, it was first shown during the Pyongyang military parade in 2010. At the parade of February 2018, the new version called Songun-ho II, was presented fitted with reactive armour mounted at the front of the turret, on each side of the main armament. The roof of the turret is also equipped with additional armament.

The main armament of the Songun-ho II consists of one 125mm cannon very similar to the Russian 125 mm (2A46) smoothbore gun fitted on the Soviet-made T-72 MBT. The tank is equipped with an carousel automatic loader system mounted on the turret floor and also on the rear wall of the turret.

The new version of the Songun-ho II, shown at the military parade of February 2017 with new second armament mounted on the turret including two MANPADS (Man-portable air-defense systems) missile launchers located at the rear part. The left hatch of the turret is fitted with two launchers for anti-tank missiles at the left side, there is also two grenade launchers at the front of teh right hatch.

Songun-ho II main battle tank at the military parade that celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Korean People's Army, February 8, 2018.  (Picture source KCNA via Internet)

2. Pokpung-ho IV Main Battle Tank

The P'okp'ung-ho or spelled Pokpung-ho is a Main Battle Tank (MBT) developed in the 1990s. According to military sources, the Pokpung-ho incorporates technology found in the Soviet-made T-62, T-72, Chinese-made Type 88 and North Korean Chonma-ho I MBTs.

The latest version in the Pokpung-ho tank family, the Pokpung-ho IV seems to use some technologies from Soviet tanks as T-72, T-80 and T-90. The Pokpung-ho IV shown at the February 2018 military parade is armed with one 125mm 2A46 cannon.

Secondary armament includes two SA-16 MANPADS (Man-Portable Air-Defense System) launchers at the rear of the turret, two launchers for AT-5 anti-tank guided missile mounted on the left side of the turret and twin automatic grenade launchers mounted at the front above the main gun.

Pokpung-ho IV main battle tank at the military parade that celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Korean People's Army, February 8, 2018. (Picture source KCNA via Internet)

B. Wheeled armoured vehicle

1. M-2010 6x6 APC (Armoured Personnel Carrier)

The M-2010 6x6 is a wheeled armoured vehicle personnel carrier based on the Russian-made BTR-80 wheeled IFV but with only 3 axles, one at the front and two at the rear of the chassis. The vehicle was shown for the time during the military parade in 2010.

The M-2010 6x6 is fitted with a one-man turret armed with two RPK 14.5 mm machine guns and one coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun. There is also a single MANPADS short-range missile launcher located at the rear of the turret.

M-2010 6x6 APC Armoured Personnel Carrier at the military parade that celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Korean People's Army, February 8, 2018. (Source Picture print screen video footage YouTube )

M-2010 6x6 APC Armoured Personnel Carrier at the military parade in North Korea

2. M-2010 8x8 APC (Armoured Personnel Carrier)

The M-2010 8x8 is a wheeled armoured vehicle personnel carrier based on the Russian-made BTR-80 wheeled IFV. The vehicle was shown for the time during the military parade in 2010.

The 8x8 version of the M-2010uses the same turret and armament as the 6x6 version including two RPK 14.5 mm machine guns, one coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun and one single MANPADS short-range missile launcher located at the rear of the turret.

M-2010 8x8 APC Armoured Personnel Carrier at the military parade that celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Korean People's Army, February 8, 2018. (Source Picture print screen video footage YouTube)

M-2010 8x8 APC Armoured Personnel Carrier at the military parade in North Korea.

C. Artillery vehicles

1. Chuche-Po M-1991 122mm self-propelled howitzer

The Chuche-Po M-1991 122mm is a self-propelled howitzer with a turret mounted at the rear on a tracked chassis with six road wheels. Main armament consists of one D-74 122mm cannon. The 122mm D-74 towed gun is a Soviet-made cannon which was developed in the late 1950s. It has a maximum firing range of 24 km.

A new version of this vehicle was shown at the military of February 2017 fitted with additional mounted on the roof turret including twin automatic grenade launchers on the right and two MANPADS short-range missile launchers on the left. There is also four smoke grenade launchers on each side at the front of the turret.

Chuche-Po M-1991 122mm self-propelled howitzer at the military parade that celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Korean People's Army, February 8, 2018. (Source Picture print screen video footage YouTube)

Chuche-Po M-1991 122mm self-propelled howitzer at the military parade that celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Korean People's Army, February 8, 2018. (Picture source KCNA via Internet)

2. Chuch'ep'o M-1989 Koksan 170mm self-propelled howitzer

The M1989 Koksan is 170mm self-propelled howitzer designed and manufactured in North Korea. The designations M-1978 and Koksan were given to the type by American military analysts, as they first became aware of it in that year in Koksan, North Korea. The M-1989 Kosan seems to be based on an Chinese-made Type 59 tank chassis with five single rubber-tired road wheels with a distinct gap between the first and second road wheels. The drive sprocket is at the rear and the idler at the front. There are no track-return rollers. Main armament consists of one 170 mm gun mounted on the hull of the tracked chassis without any superstructure.

Chuch'ep'o M-1989 Koksan 170mm self-propelled howitzer at the military parade that celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Korean People's Army, February 8, 2018. (Source Picture print screen video footage YouTube)

Chuch'ep'o M-1989 Koksan 170mm self-propelled howitzer at the military parade that celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Korean People's Army, February 8, 2018.

3. Modified SA-13 short-range air defense system with new missile weapon station

A new version of the Soviet-made SA-13 short-range air defense missile system was showed for the first time at North Korean military parade, the turret seems to be similar but the turret is upgraded with new surface-to-air missiles with one block of four missiles on each side of the turret. The vehicle was shown for the first during the military parade in April 2017.

Modified SA-13 short-range air defense system at the military parade that celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Korean People's Army, February 8, 2018. (Source Picture print screen video footage YouTube)

Modified SA-13 short-range air defense system at the military parade in North Korea

4. RM-70 122mm MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System)

North Korea has purchased second-hand 122mm MLRS which seems to be RM-70 designed and manufactured by Czech Republic. The RM-70 is armed with a rack of 40 x 122mm rocket tubes fitted to a traversing/elevating platform mounted at the rear of a Tatra 813 8x8 truck chassis. The rocket tube arrangement is a single rectangular bank of four layers each with 10 tubes. The rocket has a maximum firing range of 20 km.

RM-70 122mm MLRS Multiple Launch Rocket System at military parade in North Korea.

5. M-1991 240mm MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System)

The M1991 is a 240mm Multiple Rocket Launcher System (MRLS) uses by the North Korean Armed Forces. The vehicle was first seen in 1991 and received the name of M-1991 which indicates the year that it was first observed by United States intelligence.

The M1991 MRLS has 22 launching tubes and fires the same 240-mm rockets as the M-1985 MRLS. The rockets launcher system is mounted at the rear of the truck chassis just behind the crew cab. The M-1991 rocket pack is easily identified as it has 2 rows of 8 tubes and 1 row of 6 tubes.

The maximum range is 30 km, and now 60 km for the new version Juche 100.

M-1991 240mm MLRS Multiple Launch Rocket System at the military parade that celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Korean People's Army, February 8, 2018. (Source Picture print screen video footage YouTube)

6. Ugraded KN-09 300mm MLRS Multiple Launch Rocket System

The KN-09 is 300mm caliber MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System) designed and manufactured in North Korea. The rocket launcher system is mounted on a Sinotruk HOWO 6x6 truck chassis. The first version of the KN-09 was unveiled in 2015 but the new version is fitted with an armoured cab. The rocket launcher station consists of two blocks of four rockets. It can be used guided rocket using guidance systems as the Russian GLONASS or Chinese Beidou navigation system.

KN-09 upgrade 300mm MLRS Multiple Launch Rocket System at the military parade that celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Korean People's Army, February 8, 2018. (Source Picture print screen video footage YouTube)

KN-09 upgrade 300mm MLRS Multiple Launch Rocket System at the military parade in North Korea