- Yes
- No
TL;DR
A Soviet P-6-class (Pr. 183) torpedo boat re-armed with a BM-21 rocket launcher
History
The P-6 torpedo boat, also known as the Pr. 183, was a class of large Soviet torpedo boats developed just after World War II. Over 421 were built by the Soviet Union, and the ships saw service in a number of navies across the world. In limited cases, they are still in service to this day.
Following the signing of the Korean Armistice in 1953, the DPRK sought to re-equip its navy (the Korean People’s Navy, KPN or KPANF) and replace its dated inventory. They had primarily been equipped with basic Soviet torpedo boats, as well as a variety of civilian boats converted to military use. The Soviet Union delivered limited numbers of P-4 and P-6 torpedo boats, and China supplied a large number of Type-025 torpedo boats. It was the P-6 that the DPRK would modify in a few forms, one of which was to create the Ch’aho (차호)-class. Since 1971, around 50 Ch’aho-class have been produced. Two distinct variants have been seen – this suggestion focuses on the later variant, armed with the Soviet BM-21 rocket launcher.
Characteristics
The Ch’aho-class has a few key differences from the P-6. Most obvious is the addition of a Soviet BM-21 rocket launcher at the rear of the boat. These carry 40 rockets, each one carrying a 18-20kg HE warhead. The launcher has an automated loading mechanism, enabling the ship to reload quite quickly compared to what it otherwise would be (a couple of minutes).
- Automated loading system
The Ch’aho doesn’t keep the two 533mm torpedoes of the P-6, which were completely removed.
This variant has a 14.5mm rotary machine gun located next to the rocket launcher (and possibly one at the front of the hull, although images are scarce). These are an indigenous development, and fire the same 14.5x114mm ammunition as the ZPU-4.
The Ch’aho appears to otherwise have the same characteristics as the P-6. The ship has an all-wood hull, and has 4 M-50T engines, providing 4800hp and enabling the ship to reach speeds of 81km/h. The standard P-6 has a displacement of 67t, and the Ch’aho is likely very similar.
Conclusion
The Ch’aho would be a fun mid-rank gunboat, for either a North Korean branch in a future Chinese coastal fleet or a United Korean fleet tree. It would play pretty similarly to the Pr. 183 BM-21 at 3.0 – with the same rocket launcher, but with an extra reload, and a 14.5mm rotary MG instead of the 25mm 2M-3.
Specifications
Armour
- Hull
- 40mm (Wood)
- Superstructure
- 4mm (Steel)
Primary Armament: BM-21 rocket launcher, 40x rockets (16 rounds total)
Secondary Armament: 2x (?) rotary 14.5mm
Displacement: ~67t
Crew: ~14
Engine: 4x M-50, 4800hp
Top Speed: 81km/h
Images
Spoiler
- I believe this could be some sort of prototype, as it lacks a few features and has different AA armament
Sources
Spoiler
The Armed Forces of North Korea: On the Path of Songun – Stijn Mitzer and Joost Oliemans