This is Alexei Krivoruchko, the Deputy Defense Minister, who is involved in Russia’s defense contracting and equipment procurement. He toured a North Korean weapons display to purchase North Korean-made weapons and ammunition for use by the Russian military at the ‘somewhere’.
UPDATED – 28/08/2023
Added 8 new vehicles, including 4 SPAA in their own line.
M1978 SPAA
M1985 SPAA
M1989 SPAA
Strela 10 (HT-16PGJ)
M1992 – ATGM carrier
Ch’ŏnma (1986) – MBT
M2018 – ATGM carrier
M2020 (2023) – MBT
Also touched up a few descriptions and added a couple new vehicles to the potential vehicles list.
I prefer the Korean Tree with both NK and SK tanks
North Korea Line
Tier 4:
T-34-85 - 5.7
Type 63 - 6.3
PT-85 - 7.0
Tier 5:
Chonma-Ho I - 8.3 (3BM-3)
Chonma-Ho III - 8.7 (3BM-21)
Chonma-Ho 92 - 9.0 (3BM-28)
Tier 6:
Chonma-Ho 98 - 9.3 (3BM-28)
Chonma-Ho 214 - 9.3 (3BM-28)
Pokpung-Ho I - 9.7 (3BM-36)
Pokpung-Ho III - 10.0 (3BM-36)
Tier 7:
Songun-Ho I - 10.3 (BTA4)
Songun-Ho II - 10.7 (BTA4)
M2020 early - 11.7 (DTC10E-125)
M2020 late - 11.7 (DTC10E-125)
Premium:
Chonma-Ho II - 8.3 (3BM-6)
Pokpung-Ho II - 9.7 (3BM-36)
South Korean Line
Tier 4:
M4A3 76(w) HVSS - 5.7
M26 - 6.3
Tier 5:
M47 - 7.3 (M431)
M48A3K - 8.0 (K241)
M48A5K1 - 8.7 (K270)
M48A5K2 - 8.7 (K270)
Tier 6:
PV-1 - 9.3 (K270)
K1 - 9.7 (K270)
K1E1 - 10.3 (K274)
K1A1 - 10.7 (K276)
Tier 7:
K1E2 - 10.7 (K274N)
K1A2 - 11.3 (K279)
K2 - 11.7 (K279)
K2 PIP - 11.7 (K279N)
Premium:
M48A5KW - 9.3 (K274)
PV-2 - 9.3 (K270)
Anti Air Line
Tier 4:
VTT323-37-2 - 5.0
Tier 5:
VTT323-57-2 - 7.0
K263A3 - 7.7
K-30 Biho - 8.0
Tier 6:
Pongae-2 - 9.3
K-30 Biho SAM - 10.0
Tier 7:
K-31 Chonma - 11.3
IFV / Tank Destroyers
Tier 4:
M36 - 5.7
Tokchon-100 - 6.0
KAFV-90 - 6.3
Tier 5:
Tokchon-122 - 7.0
K9A1 - 7.7
Tokchon-130 - 7.7
k200-MetisM - 8.3
Tier 6:
K21-40 - 9.0
K21-105 - 9.7
AS-21 REDBACK - 10.3
Tier 7:
Jupiter MGS - 11.3
A T-62 clone, 0.7 BR below the actual T-62? Even if they supposedly have weaker armour, it’s not going to be this much.
This then messes up the BRs of all the other Ch’ŏnma‘s.
As well as some incorrect names that just… don’t make sense. You have both the ‘Chonma-Ho III’ and Ch’ŏnma-92 (at different BRs!) when they are the same tank. Chonma-Ho III is the US DoD designation for the Ch’ŏnma-92.
Same with the ‘Chonma-Ho IV’, which is the same tank as the Ch’ŏnma-98, but you’ve put a 0.7 BR gap in between them. You also call the Chonma-Ho IV the early version, what do you mean by this?
You’ve also incorrectly given the “Pokpung-Ho” (real name: Ch’ŏnma-215/216) the 125mm, when it seems much more likely (based on photo analysis) that they retain the 115mm, with the first 125mm armed tank being the Son’gun.
And then the age old debate of whether NK tanks should go with SK, which has been discussed in depth on numerous threads.
Sorry if I come across as a bit harsh, but some of these are silly mistakes that are just the internet not bothering to find the correct names for vehicles, and in doing so, creating ‘new’ tanks or names by accident.
Why is the Songun-ho a top tier tank when it is inferior to the later Ch’onma’s in pretty much every regard?
DPRK tanks don’t actually carry all those missiles in combat, that’s just for parades to show them off. Look at any live exercise and you’ll see they never have them on.
The thing often called the “Ch’onma-ho III” is a fake tank. No photos of it exist and although it’s supposed to have a thermal sleeve, no later variants have it. It’s speculated it’s most likely a misidentified “Ch’onma-ho IV”
The Chinese tree currently has the T-34 (1943). If you look in the War Thunder wiki, they correctly point out that the Chinese never used this vehicle, only the North Koreans did. Which technically makes this the first North Korean tank in the game.
No…Songun-ho was based off of t-72/T-80 chassis
Chonma-ho started as t-62 then was upgraded to look more like T-72
Secondly the DPRK could use missiles- in training they may not want to damage parts
Has the 125mm which, with either Soviet (and definitely Chinese export) rounds, outclasses the 115mm in all ways. Also still has similar armour and mobility, as well as the ATGMs/MANPADs.
Like @_6kangn said, they could be taken off during exercises to avoid damage. But for example, we know the M2020’s ATGM launchers work while mounted, so it is entirely likely the very similar/same launchers work on the previous vehicles.
I believe I have seen images of it or a similar variant. I will have to have a look and add them to the post. If it turns out to be fake, I will adjust accordingly.
Actually the latest variatn of Chonma ho is V but that is older model than Songun- hos
latest version of Songun ho is recent:
What do we know about Pokpong -ho?
Pokpung-ho is the US DoD designation for the Ch’ŏnma-215 and -216. See my descriptions of them in the main post for more info.
Bruh
sane can be said for china tree and israek
Except it can’t, Chinese have a decently sized export tank market that they can get, Israel has sub variants of their merkavas, North Korea: T-62.
North Korea has unique indigenous MBTs (sure, based on the T-62 but that doesn’t make them less unique tbh), light tanks, SPAA, and tank destroyers. They’re mostly an amalgam of different countries guns and chassis’ but most aren’t direct copies. Literally the only direct copy with virtually no modifications is the first Ch’ŏnma. That’s it, 1 tank.
South Korean Chonma-Ho I supposedly only has 80mm thick hull, not 100mm thick
Whilst there is Chonma-Ho 215 and 216
They come in 4 different formats not just 2
You’ll find Chonma-Ho 216 initially without all the extra secondary armament like MANPADS etc, so it was easier to just call them Pokpung-Ho’s 1 to 4
And what sources is this from?
From what I have found, North Korea both imported Soviet-built T-62s and produced their own (identifiable by some extra bolts on the lower frontal plate and some extra turret handles iirc). Both were called Ch’ŏnma.
There’s conflicting sources on whether the NK-built Ch’ŏnma has either the same armour as the T-62, physically less steel (as you say) or just weaker-quality steel, but the same thickness. In 2/3 scenarios, it would have the same thickness in game because WT doesn’t model steel quality between nations.
But the bulk of good quality sources say the Ch’ŏnma is just identical to the T-62.
Yes, but Pokpung-Ho is still the wrong name. That’s why I just say Ch’ŏnma-215/216. But, like with a couple other MBTs in my list, you could just add the year at the end, e.g. Ch’ŏnma-216 (2014). That way you still have a correct name and can identify the variants.
Chonma-Ho I
is your first NK produced T-62, also comes with 14.5mm machine gun
Chonma-Ho II
gets the full armour of T-62 and a laser rangefinder
Chonma-Ho III
It’s the First version with laminated turret instead of the T-62 style cast turret. It is unclear if the turret has spaced or composite armour, or it is a simple replica of the cast turret made with welded plates. Supposedly a ballistic computer was added to the fire control suite, and the fire control suite has been integrated into a complete system rather than being a patchwork of upgrades. Gun stabilization has been improved. Radios are improved, and the suspension beefed up. The new engine is a 750-horsepower model which can lay a thick, oily smoke screen by injecting diesel fuel into its exhaust.
Chonma-Ho 92 (IV)
It’s later modification of Chonma-Ho IV, it gets extra ERA protection
Chonma-Ho V Early & Late
Chonma-Ho 98 (V Early) is ‘216’
Chonma-Ho 214 (V late) is ‘138’
Chonma-Ho VI Early & Late
This refers to the 6 wheel versions, Chonma-Ho 215 and Chonma-Ho 216.
People also call them under the unofficial names ‘Pokpung-Ho I’ and Pokpung-Ho II’
If you look at the image above
Chonma-Ho 215 is ‘404’
Chonma-Ho 216 is ‘909’
The only difference is their engines.
However since then especially in 2018, they were further upgraded with LWS, MANPADS, ATGMs etc
I like to call this one Pokpung-Ho III
Yes, but where is your source for this?