(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un joined his troops in war exercise by personally driving the country’s newest main battle tank, declared as the “most powerful tanks in the world.”
According to North Korean news agency KCNA, prior to this, Kim inspected the country’s military war exercises at a special location before proceeding towards the involved main battle tanks and driving it himself.
So far, North Korea’s latest main battle tanks does not have an official name.
The North Korean leader expressed satisfaction with the capabilities of his latest main battle tanks in terms of firepower and urged his military personnel to further boost morale and complete preparations for warfare, as reported by the news agency.
South Korea and the United States are also conducting joint military exercises at this time, further escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
North Korea’s latest main battle tanks was first showcased to the public during a military parade in 2020.
This marks the third occasion Kim has reportedly observed military war exercises conducted by the North Korean military this month, indicating the country’s increasing readiness for warfare.
The design of North Korea’s newest main battle tank is said to resemble the Russian T-14 Armata and the U.S. M1A1 Abrams, equipped with Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA) blocks for defense against anti-tanks missile and other weaponary.
In terms of size, North Korea’s latest main battle tanks is comparable to a medium-sized armored vehicle with a “low silhouette” like Russia’s tanks, with an estimated weight ranging from 40 to 50 tons.
Its weight is unlikely to match Western main battle tanks such as the M1A1 Abrams, Leopard, and Challenger, which weigh between 60 to 70 tons.
Its smaller size and moderate weight compared to Western-made tanks are likely for mobility purposes and ease of transportation throughout the country.
For defense, Pyongyang’s latest main battle tanks also appears to be equipped with an Active Protection System (APS), another standard equipment for tanks worldwide today.
According to observations from Army Recognition, North Korea’s latest main battle tanks uses a 125mm main gun, similar to other Russian and Chinese-made tanks.
The 125mm gun is capable of firing various types of ammunition such as Armor-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot (APFSDS), High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT), and High-Explosive Fragmentation (HEF).
North Korea’s latest main battle tanks is also believed to be operated by a three-person crew and utilizes an automatic loading system.
In addition to the main gun, the main battle tanks is also equipped with a 7.62mm machine gun and two anti-tank missile launchers called “Bulsae,” which are said to be similar to the Russian-made “Kornet” anti-armored vehicle guided missiles.
The “most powerful main battle tanks in the world” is also equipped with an Automatic Grenade Launcher (AGL). — DSA