M1978 (Koksan)

History

The M1978 "Koksan" is a self-propelled gun (SPG) of Korean origin with a tracked undercarriage believed to be based on the original Chinese Type 59 Main Battle Tank (MBT). The Type 59 itself is nothing more than a local Chinese copy of the original Soviet-era T-54A model line that entered service in the late 1940s. The first Chinese version appeared in 1959 (hence the name), and around 9,500 cars were produced. Given the military and political relationship between China and North Korea, it is only natural that the North Korean military would be influenced by its Chinese neighbors - hence the influence of the Type 59 in the North Korean military structure.

The M1978 was first identified by the West in 1978 (providing the more generic Western designation "M1978") and is currently (2013) represented numerically in the North Korean Army's inventory. Some of these vehicles were used against Iraqi forces with good results in the bloody Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988) under the control of Iranian forces. The production of the vehicle comes from the Second Bureau of Machinery Industry, and the name "Koksan" comes from the city of Kok'san in North Korea.

The M1978 was officially recognized when it was spotted at a state military parade in 1985.

Koksan carries a 170mm main gun with associated recoil and breech systems, all mounted on the Type 59 hull structure and chassis. Due to the oversized gun load and undersized chassis, the rifle crew was forced to operate in outdoor environments exposed to the elements of the battlefield and dangerous - the driver was the only protected occupant inside the armored vehicle.

The system's range is expected to be managed by at least four to six personnel, including a commander, a gunner and several ammunition operators. Due to the vehicle's lack of on-board storage space, the projectiles are transported by separate movers or transport trucks, which are deployed with Koksan batteries.

Except for the 170mm main gun armament, the M1978 retains the basic shape of the Type 59, including the track system and landing gear. There are five road wheels on one side of the fuselage, with the drive sprocket at the rear and the idler at the front.

The engine remained in the rear of the fuselage, while two retractable scoops were added here as well, which were lowered before firing (otherwise raised vertically for transport). The M1978 was better suited as a stationary gun, negating "fire on the move" and severely limiting its tactical value on the moving front. However, they do pose a viable threat when used defensively - as if they came from the north, they are buried behind earth walls or in solid structures to support frontline operations.

Propelled by a diesel powered engine - likely the original 520hp liquid cooling system of the Type 59 Series 12150L V12 to keep costs and logistics in check. Road speed is estimated at 40 km/h, with an operating range of about 300 km.

A basic torsion suspension system inherited from the original Type 59 MBT aids off-road cruising. The U.S. military estimates the main gun has a maximum range of 40,000 meters (25 miles/40 kilometers), with a walking rate of fire of up to two rounds every five minutes. A rocket-assisted projectile was developed to increase the effective range of the main gun to 60,000 m (37 mi/60 km).

Due to the length of the main gun, the barrel was attached to the front of the hull by heavy removable struts, allowing the main gun to rotate on its platform if necessary. The main gun was capped by a large muzzle brake with pepper shaker perforations.

The M1989 was a further development of the M1978, with the main difference being the integrated on-board ammunition supply, allowing the transport of up to 12 projectiles.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

for everyone else in our database)

Armor

Depends on the ammunition carrier.

Changes