K1E1 (120mm)
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Last time I suggested the name “K1E1 (120mm)”, but I think I should correct my statement.
I found mentions of K1E1 meaning prototype K1A1 in various Korean forums in 2000s. (Before the well-known plans for the K1E1 tank with the 105mm KM68A1 became introduced.) In other words, the name K1E1 had already been used to refer to a prototype of the K1A1, regardless of the K1E1 with 105mm.
However, after searching again, there isn’t any official reference to prove that the tense of K1A1 was named K1E1. Perhaps, someone who was involved in the project said it somewhere and the name spread. But the problem is that we can’t prove this name.
The K1A1 was first unveiled at the Hyundai Precision Industries plant in April 1996, and was first displayed to the public at the Seoul Air Show in October 1996. However, media reports at the time introducing these two events referred to it as “K1A1”.
Therefore, I would like to propose a correction to the name “K1A1 (P)”, like “Ariete (P)”. It may not be stylish, but it is also a ‘safe’ name in that it is at least not wrong.
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Meanwhile, you did a good job finding out the features of this vehicle. The K1A1 (P) and the production K1A1 can be distinguished by the commander’s sights are identical to those of the early K1, meaning that the commander optics do not have thermal view.
M60A1
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This photo is unreliable for three reasons.
- Firstly, like the M26, it is not mentioned in any official media(articles/reports/books/videos/etc.).
- Second, because the turret has “해병Marines” stenciled on it. The Marine Corps has lower priority than the Army in terms of logistics/supply. It is highly unlikely that the Marine Corps would have acquired and operated the M60 tank, which the Army does not have/is superior to the M48s the Army has. If South Korea had acquired the M60 during this time, it would have been deployed to the Capital Mechanized Division. However, The ROKMC, like some of the Army’s Home Guard divisions, was only able to begin retiring its M47s in 2006.
- Third, the existence of the M60 itself conflicts with the background context of K1 development. As the K1 is Korea’s first indigenous tank, its development history is well known. The development of the K1 began when the Jimmy Carter administration rejected the proposal for licensed production of the M60A1 requested by the Korean government.
For this reason, the photo is believed to be either a simple composite photo or a temporary stencil on the USFK’s M60s operating with Korean Marines in joint ROK-US exercises such as Team Spirit.
These are in-game modification screens of K1 variations that I made for fun.
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APDS: M392A2
APFSDS: M735, K270, K274, K274N, 105NG(little known information)
HEAT: KM456A1
HEP(HESH): M393 (maybe M393A2)
WP: M416
KM424
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Is there a reason the KM424 remains? If South Korea had equipped the KM900 with RR like Italy, it would have been a good option, but unfortunately the KM424 is Jeep-like, not armored vehicle… :(
South Korean 90mm guns are capable of using their own 90mm APFSDS that manufactured by Poongsan.
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S.Korea’s T-80U, unlike other T-80Us in-game, uses 3BM32 and 3UBK20 (9M119M). I don’t think it’s a big enough difference to make the BR different, but different ammo can definitely be a personality.
