Oh, sorry, I didn’t realise you were referring to that image in particular. But yes, it does appear to be 2 different types of composite armour. The UFP is almost certainly composite, and is bolted on, but to me I don’t think it’s ERA. Likely a unique development of composite armour derived from Soviet and/or Chinese designs.
The LFP could either have composite (but weaker/thinner) or could simply be RHA, it’s hard to tell. However, given there’s that small section of the UFP without bolts (which I highlighted in green), that could indicate another, different block of composite for the LFP.
Here’s an incredibly rough (lol) diagram of what I mean:
We have lots of new information on this now!!
The official name of this tank is the Cheonma-2 (천마-2호). It is apparently powered by the same engine as the K2 Black Panther and uses single-piece 125mm ammo. Lots more info to be extracted from the official state video, but this should help your two suggestions quite a lot!
Amazing, tysm! Will look into this more and edit ASAP. So far I’ve just changed the name.
Name plate that just about says <천마-2호> (Ch’ŏnma-2 Ho – Ho in this sense just meaning ‘type’, not part of the actual name)
Quite interesting they go for a rebrand of the entire Ch’ŏnma line and abandon the Sŏn’gun name, I would have thought they’d give it a completely new name owing to its uniqueness.
Engine claims I’d take with a grain of salt, but they do seem to have a good mock-up of it.
Also showed the tank’s sights, they look good, as was suspected
And complete side-note, this light tank looks great! Seems to be a 105mm? First for North Korea if so, they’ve been stuck with 115/125mm so far. Could be derived from a Chinese design, Russia doesn’t use the 105mm. Wonder if they’ll follow through with it. If so, it will be North Korea’s first proper light tank after the Sinhŭng, which is just barely better than a WW2 design.
I agree regarding that wheeled light tank/TD. Hope more info comes out about it soon! Looks like it also has a 30mm grenade launcher on the roof like the Ch’onma-2 does.
Interesting they didn’t go for the APS, seeing as having one is growing in popularity for modern light tanks/IFVs. Either way, can’t wait to see a prototype of it, if they decide to produce one (hell, for all we know, they may already have made one)
I’m sure they’ll show it in time, along with the other vehicle models at this event. There was an MLRS, an SPG, and a self-propelled mortar, I believe.
Be sure to message the mods and have the name changed on the list of already suggested vehicles, both for this one and the prototype!
SPG is the Chuch’e 107, as far as I can see in a quick skim through nothing new. MLRS looks interesting but I admit I don’t know much about the truck MLRS’s that they have (yet, going to suggest a couple soon if I get round to it).
The mortar looks like a modernised replacement of the 323 140mm mortar system. Wonder if they’ll use the new chassis for more SPGs/IFVs like they did with the 323
But one thing is that the main gun of this tank is not 125mm or 115mm. You can compare it by some details of the barrel, and so far no country has actually developed 125mm full ammunition. In a program in the “Detective Team” series of the Chinese media “Observer Network”, it was mentioned that the main gun ammunition of this tank is very similar to the 120mm smoothbore gun ammunition in the West.
I admit that the images are incredibly blurry and details are impossible to discern, but logically, this doesn’t make sense.
It would be actively detrimental for them to have a 120mm, as that’s 4 different calibres all in service – 100mm (T-54/55/Type 59), 115mm (Ch’ŏnma), 125mm (Sŏn’gun), 120mm.
It makes no sense they’d develop a 120mm cannon – it’s far more likely that it’s the 125mm, like almost all analysts have agreed (although some still suggest it’s a 115mm).
However, the 125mm fully loaded ammunition is very heavy. Considering the actual battlefield conditions and the physical condition of North Koreans, it will take a very slow time to load such heavy ammunition, which is very deadly on the battlefield (it may be preemptively attacked by enemy tanks). Although the KCNA has not disclosed the caliber, I personally have doubts about whether it is the 125mm caliber.
And so far, we cannot confirm whether North Korea possesses 125mm ammunition, because according to the introduction of the Immortal Red Star Society (the author group of the book above), the Xianjun 915 still has some modified 115mm caliber from the details of the gun barrel, and from the fact that the Korean People’s Army tank crew has always been composed of four people, it can be further confirmed that they have never obtained physical or technical 125mm ammunition.
