.

[JohnR]

The inset smoke discharger must weaken the turret armour, I know the Armarta has similarly located smoke dischargers but that's on an unmanned turret, so the armour can be more compact but with a manned turret couldn't this be critical.

 

[Hood]

It does look a bit shot-trappy.
I always thought it was hard to cut curved recesses like that into advanced multi-layered composite armour?
It looks more like that M-1 shaped frontal glacis is actually sat on top of the real face turret - i.e. the active dispensers are actually bolted to the real turret and the stuff that is pretending to be modern armour is in fact appliqued over the old T-62-esque steel turret.

 

[Maro.Kyo]

I think the new SAM system is way more concerning than anything else. ROKA was putting quite a lot of emphasis in expanding its helo fleet and hunting down N.Korean armors from above. It also really shows how much the Chinese are involved helping out the N.Koreans. Newer sanctions are only preventing them from doing it too blatantly obvious.

 

[JohnR]

It does look a bit shot-trappy.
I always thought it was hard to cut curved recesses like that into advanced multi-layered composite armour?
It looks more like that M-1 shaped frontal glacis is actually sat on top of the real face turret - i.e. the active dispensers are actually bolted to the real turret and the stuff that is pretending to be modern armour is in fact appliqued over the old T-62-esque steel turret.

I am sure I've seen somewhere that Pakistani T-85 had sand filling the composite section's either side of the gun barrel. Although I initially thought it was usual and possibly useless, I then wondered if that could be effective against HEAT rounds, as the thermal energy could have been used up turning the sand in the glass. Am I completely of the mark - wouldn't be the first time.

 

[Foo Fighter]

I think the thickness of sand required would defeat the end result.

 

[CJGibson]

I am sure I've seen somewhere that Pakistani T-85 had sand filling the composite section's either side of the gun barrel. Although I initially thought it was usual and possibly useless, I then wondered if that could be effective against HEAT rounds, as the thermal energy could have been used up turning the sand in the glass. Am I completely of the mark - wouldn't be the first time.

No, not by a long chalk ('scuse the geological pun). There's sand and there's sand. Could be silica sand, as in the beach or corundum sand as in sandblasting. Both would be effective, corundum more so. Soviet K Combination composite armour supposedly uses sand (as in 'kvartz' - quartz). Check out some of the 'caddis fly' T-72s from Syria - It's composite armour, John, but not as we know it. ('scuse the relevant Star Trek pun)

Chris

 

[stealthflanker]

It does look a bit shot-trappy.
I always thought it was hard to cut curved recesses like that into advanced multi-layered composite armour?
It looks more like that M-1 shaped frontal glacis is actually sat on top of the real face turret - i.e. the active dispensers are actually bolted to the real turret and the stuff that is pretending to be modern armour is in fact appliqued over the old T-62-esque steel turret.

Well the Composite armor can also include a large void thus form a spaced armor the same manner as Leopard's 2A5-7's Wedge armor. So it may not "pretending".

If the void is long enough it could considerably reduce the effect of shaped charge.

 

[CJGibson]

I discuss composite armour in Typhoon to Typhoon. I've also been looking into plastic armour...

Chris

 

[supergaleb]

North Korea is a militant garrison state that focused on heavy industry for its military with light industry and civilian sector being distant second with military receiving even more resources since end of cold war in order to ensure survival of the state.

North Korea under leadership of Kim Jong-un had some extensive reforms such as purging of corrupt officials including those connected to Kim family since Kim Jong-il was an incompetent while scientists finally got properly rewarded for which we see dividends of such decision in present day.

That extremely large ICBM utilized technology that was used first on Hwasong-12 and Hwasong-14 with final refinement on Hwasong-15. It will likely be used as basis for space launch vehicle equivalent of Tsyklon-3 since Sohae was upgraded with that in mind and even Hwasong-15 has enough kinetic performance to insert satellite in low earth orbit as much heavier Unha-3 that was never turned into ICBM as some people tried to spread that obvious BS that could not be repeated after Hwasong 14 and 15.

There was parade in January and September of 2021.

We saw Bulsae-3 that is based on 9M133 Kornet on new main battle tank along armored fighting vehicle that had two laser designators thus evidently is Kornet-D equivalent and finally one used by infantry in September of 2021.

Bulsae-2 is Fagot/Konkurs with laser beam riding technology of 9M133 implemented.

Modern self propelled howitzers that you have seen in 2020 were paraded first in 2018 with images of participation in military exercise in 2019 while one in 2020 have addition of ballistic radar such as South Korean K9A1 will have in near future.

New long range SAM system was tested a few days ago and Tor-esque close range SAM may be tested soon. North Korea tested 1500km range land attack cruise missile while longer model KN-23 seen in January 2021 parade was tested in March 2021 with 2.5 ton warhead at 600 kilometer range.

Baseline model KN-23 is equivalent to 9K720 Iskander.

Its just amazing that some people in here with zero knowledge about capabilities of North Korean military say this or that is fake, must be fake as if its early mid 2010s.