Model 1981 "Shin'heung"
10 km/h in water
The Model 1981 "Shin'heung"[1] (Rise), in western countries known as the PT-85, is a North Korean amphibious light tank. It is built for the needs of their army, with around 500 examples operated.[2] The Model 1981 "Shin'heung is based on the lengthened VTT-323 APC chassis, and although the turret appears similar to PT-76, the PT-85 has a higher horseshoe-shaped turret, with an 85 mm gun and hatches similar to those of a T-54.[2]
Model 1981 "Shin'heung" upgrades
Early examples of the Model 1981 "Shin'heung" tank have shown a 9M14 Malyutka (AT-3 "Sagger") anti-tank guided missile installed on top of the turret directly above the main gun, and with two lights on the front of either side of the hull.[2] In recent parades, the Model 1981 "Shin'heung" has been observed with a large IR projector (possibly a reverse engineered copy of a L-2 Luna IR spotlight[3] on the turret, linked to the gun with a brace for elevation, as on the Soviet T-55/62 tanks.[2]
The arrangement of the lights on the hull has also changed: there are three lights on the right side of the front glacis (two black ones and one white), plus one on the left side plate; sometimes some of these lights are omitted.[2] The AT-3 "Sagger" missile is also now absent on the PT-85; it's unclear if these new or upgraded variants can be armed with that missile, and if so where the launcher would be installed.[2]
In 2015, Model 1981 "Shin'heung" tanks in parades have also been observed with a Manpad SAM installed on the rear of the turret, as well as three smoke mortars on each side of the turret.[2]
References
- v
- t
- e
- M2020
- Songun-915
- Pokpung-ho (common name for Chonma-215, Chonma-216)
- Chonma-ho (common name for Chonma-I ,II, III, IV, -98, -214)
- T-62
- T-54/T-55
- Type 59
- Koksan M-1978 SPG
- Tokchon
- Juche-po