On March 20, North Korean President Kim Jong Un directly supervised a joint exercise with the participation of infantry and tank units, in which a new main battle tank line equipped with active protection system appeared.
According to KCNA news agency, the exercise took place at a training base in Pyongyang, to test the combat coordination capabilities between small-scale units. The tests included assessing the active protection system of the tank, with results showing that this vehicle can intercept all anti-tank missiles and unmanned assault aircraft from many different directions.
Mr. Kim Jong Un assessed the new tank model as having superior strength, maneuverability and self-defense capabilities, while emphasizing improving combat survivability. He said ground forces will be widely equipped with this type of tank in the near future.
The tank model used in the exercise is believed to be Chonma-20, first launched at a military parade in October last year. Some experts believe that the exercise may reflect the lessons learned by North Korea from the conflict in Ukraine, especially the increasing role of drones in land warfare.
The North Korean leader also affirmed that the previous limitations of the armored forces, especially in night combat, have been completely overcome. He called for continued improvement of tank performance to meet the requirements of modern warfare and accelerate the process of combat preparation throughout the army.
Notably, images released by state media show Kim Ju Ae, Kim Jong Un's daughter, appearing with her father on a tank in the exercise, marking another appearance of her at an important military event.
In the exercise, units used real-time reconnaissance data to attack enemy headquarters with drones. Anti-tank missile complexes from armored vehicles were also deployed to hit targets. The rear forces carried out ambushes, destroying drones and armed helicopters, before capturing the anti-tank defense line, creating conditions for tanks and infantry to attack.
The exercise took place on the last day of the 11-day "Freedom Shield" exercise between the US and South Korea, an activity that North Korea criticized as a war drill.
