Ch'aho-class (BMD-20)

ChieftainWarrior · May 4, 2024, 3:01am

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Ch’aho-class (BMD-20)

TL;DR
A Soviet P-6-class (Pr. 183) torpedo boat re-armed with a BMD-20 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 earlier variant, armed with the Soviet BMD-20 rocket launcher.

Characteristics
The Ch’aho-class has a few key differences from the P-6. Most obvious is the addition of a Soviet BMD-20 rocket launcher in front of the bridge. These carry 8 MD-20F rockets, each one carrying a 30kg 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.

It appears like some ships, but not all, have AA guns. The ones that do appear to have some sort of 14.5mm AA gun, but I’m personally unsure and very few sources mention them.

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 more powerful rockets, but fewer rounds (16 total), and worse AA capabilities. I think a BR of 2.3-3.0 would therefore be appropriate.

Specifications
Armour