North Korea Defence Forum

[Yommie]

They make a lot of things, mainly missiles and artillary.

They have sold artillary shells and tactical ballistic missiles similar to the Iskander missile to Russia.

Russia tactical ballistic missile is restricted in range by treaty. North Korea isn't.

 

[hyperman]

Russia tactical ballistic missile is restricted in range by treaty. North Korea isn't.

They aren't restricted. the Intermediate range treaty is dead, the US pulled out.

and as for MTCR it applies to exports not domestic use. Not that Russia cares, if it wants to do something, it does it.

 

[Yommie]

They aren't restricted. the Intermediate range treaty is dead, the US pulled out.

and as for MTCR it applies to exports not domestic use. Not that Russia cares, if it wants to do something, it does it.

I wouldn't mind seeing 5,000 km range Iskander, but likely it'll be around 1,000 km to cover all of Ukraine and not be an overkill.

 

[The SC]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1752619726218330125

https://twitter.com/x/status/1752813066285142368

 

[sahureka2]

A graphic by Chinese artists of North Korea's 841 "Kim Gun Ok" submarine


the author drew the presence of 4 torpedo tubes in the bow, but excluded from the drawing the 2 torpedo tubes in the stern, which were present on the pr.633/Romeo class/Type 033 submarine, since many "authoritative" Osint sources indicate that the North Koreans have recycled at least the entire part from amidships to the stern of one of their submarines of that class, it would be logical to hypothesize that they also kept the 2 TLS at the stern

Or, as another Osint writes (on another forum with the nickname "Rohirrim") who is dedicated to the history of the DPRK navy from its birth to the present day:
<<based on the photographs released during construction, it was thought to be the reconstruction of an old submarine, but in reality a completely different, interesting and unique project appeared.>>
In the DPRK shipyards they built the Type 033 in the past, who knows they may have exploited that knowledge to implement them in the new project and during the construction phase also foresee the elimination of the stern TLS.

The author of the drawing in the box of the first photo, the characteristics of the stern and the overall dimensions make it look more like the Project 629 Golf class than the Romeo class /type-033 both depicted there

I remember that a couple of Pr.629/Golf class, together with 6/8 Pr.641/Foxtrot class (from which the Golfs are derived) were purchased for scrapping by the DPRK at the beginning of the 90s of the last century from the Russian fleet of the Pacific which had abandoned them.
And that this new submarine (841) could have been built taking into account the knowledge acquired on these pr.629 Golf Class and pr. 641 Foxtrot class, referring to the stern.

Furthermore, Kim Jong Un surprised everyone, and "841" is in fact different from all the hypothetical drawings that hypothesized its configuration published by the various Osint.
So I also think that the North Koreans took advantage of the knowledge acquired from the submarines to which they had access and that they also used some structural elements and equipment already produced for the submarines of previous projects.
Materials, equipment, etc., already made, known for some time and tested in operation, are inserted and adapted into a new project.
This choice certainly accelerated construction, may have reduced some technical risks, and may have reduced construction costs.

 

[sahureka2]

test-fire of new-type surface-to-sea missile Padasuri-6 to be equipped by the navy on the morning of February 14.
https://kcnawatch.org/newstream/170...st-fire-of-surface-to-sea-missile-padasuri-6/

 

[The SC]

N. Korea’s Kim Unveils, ‘Drives’ New Main Battle Tank​

North Korea leader Kim Jong Un drove a “new-type main battle tank” while overseeing military training exercises, state media said Thursday, as Seoul and Washington wrap joint drills to improve deterrence.

Wearing a black leather jacket, Kim saluted ranks of camouflage-uniformed troops, and watched live-fire “training march” exercises from a field command post, flanked by top generals, images published by state media showed.

After he reviewed the tank crews, Kim “mounted a new-type main battle tank, seized the control lever and drove the tank himself,” the official Korean Central News Agency reported.

The KCNA report comes as Seoul and Washington hold the final day of their annual Freedom Shield exercises – involving missile interception drills and air assault, among others.

The nuclear-armed North has long condemned joint US-South Korea military drills, calling them rehearsals for an invasion. It has carried out weapons tests in the past as a response to previous joint exercises of this nature.

Kim “expressed great satisfaction over the fact that the new-type main battle tank successfully demonstrated its very excellent striking power,” the KCNA report said.

The North Korean leader also stressed the “importance of the role and duty of tankmen in modern warfare,” as well as the “need to organize intensive exercises simulating an actual war.”

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2024/03/14/north-korea-battle-tank/

N. Korea's Kim Unveils, 'Drives' New Main Battle Tank

North Korea leader Kim Jong Un drove a "new-type main battle tank" while overseeing military training exercises.

www.thedefensepost.com

 

[sahureka2]

New M2020 MBTs launch of ATGM and from the images it also appears to be equipped with an active protection system (APS)

 

[Yommie]

That's a badass looking tank. Kudos to NK R&D team.

 

[Flames In The Desert]

Dprk tests new intermediate range solid fuel missile with hypersonic glider
https://www.kpvi.com/news/national_news/north-korea-says-it-test-fired-new-solid-fuel-hypersonic-missile/article_5aa5b2ad-0972-51ec-bc54-9717ce304d1f.html

Interesting hybrid launcher design,a clam-shell type housing for the glider and a conventional cold launch tube for its missile.

 

[FuturePAF]

Dprk tests new intermediate range solid fuel missile with hypersonic glider
https://www.kpvi.com/news/national_news/north-korea-says-it-test-fired-new-solid-fuel-hypersonic-missile/article_5aa5b2ad-0972-51ec-bc54-9717ce304d1f.html

Interesting hybrid launcher design,a clam-shell type housing for the glider and a conventional cold launch tube for its missile.

Pakistan needs a similar hypersonic glider for its 900km Shaheen 1A and Single warhead 2000 km Shaheen 2 missiles. Alongside a healthy use of decoys, this lifting body glider could be very effective at evading current defenses, and the range of both these missiles could be extended somewhat by this lifting body warhead design.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1775318965935341845

https://twitter.com/x/status/1775278269753069588

 

[hyperman]

North Korea says it tested ‘super-large’ cruise missile warhead and new anti-aircraft missile​

North Korea says it tested 'super-large' cruise missile warhead and new anti-aircraft missile

North Korea says it tested a “super-large” cruise missile warhead and a new anti-aircraft missile in a western coastal area as it expands its military capabilities in the face of deepening tensions with the United States and South Korea.

apnews.com

 

[Soldier35]

The head of the DPRK, Kim Jong-un, visited a military plant for the production of launchers for the Hwasong-11Ra missile systems, according to the Western classification, the Hwasong-11D is a smaller analogue of the Russian Iskander-M tactical missile. Kim Jong-un expressed great satisfaction with the result of production at the enterprises in the first half of this year and especially emphasized the need to fulfill the military production plan for 2024. It is worth noting that in the DPRK, Kim Jong-un quite often visits military production; he previously visited this plant where he demanded that flaws in production be eliminated. The Hwasong-11Ra short-range tactical missile was first tested in 2022, the missile was launched at a range of 110 km, the estimated flight range of these missiles is up to 180 km. In less than a year, the Hwasong-11Ra missile system was finalized and put into service; by the spring of 2023, it began to enter service with combat units