North Korean howitzers bolster Russian artillery amid shortages
The Russians are increasingly using M-1989 "Koksan" howitzers received from North Korea, as evidenced by their destruction by Ukrainians. We present the performance of this system and what attacked it.
The Ukrainians from the 413th "Raid" Unmanned Systems Forces unit identified and destroyed the M-1989 "Koksan" howitzer. The action took place at night, and the destruction was carried out by the "Vampire" drone, a nickname given to the "Baba Yaga" type bombing drones equipped with thermal cameras.
In the video below, you can see three bombs dropping on the Koksan, likely eliminating the crew. Unfortunately, the footage cuts off after the attack, so it's unclear whether a fire, such as in the propellant charges, or an explosion of the transported ammunition occurred over time.
Without Kim, Russian artillery ceases to exist
The Russians currently have significant problems with barrel artillery, as domestic barrel production capabilities are far from adequate to meet needs, and the cannibalization of systems in storage has ended, judging by rows of inoperative towed howitzers without barrels in satellite images.
This forces Russia to turn to North Korea for help, as evidenced by examples such as the M-46 howitzers with a 130 mm calibre, the D-74s, which Russia had relatively few of, or the appearance of the most powerful North Korean howitzers, the M-1989 "Koksan," on the front lines. This is yet another example of Russia's dependence on Kim following ammunition supplies covering even 60 per cent of Russia's demand.
M-1989 "Koksan" - The most powerful artillery of the DPRK as the only rival to Krab
The North Korean M-1989 "Koksan" howitzers, conceptually similar to the 2S7 Pion howitzers, are equipped with a 170 mm calibre gun approximately 11 metres long mounted on a modified tank chassis from the T-54/55 family, resulting in a 36-tonne howitzer with incredible firepower.
The "Koksan" likely fires shells weighing between 60 to 100 kilograms to a distance of 40 kilometres, and in the version with a rocket booster, even 60 kilometres. Although the accuracy of this system is not its strong suit, a shell containing dozens of kilograms of TNT can cause significant damage. These guns were designed as a low-cost weapon to shell Seoul from positions hidden in the rocks. In such a case, where the target is a city, precision for this weapon of terror is less important than firepower.
The rate of fire of the "Koksan" is estimated at 1-2 shots every five minutes, and it is operated by six soldiers. Although it is outdated, with intensive shelling, it can be effective. It is also currently one of the few systems in the Russian arsenal capable of offering a range similar to that provided by modern Western 155 mm solutions, such as the German PzH-2000 self-propelled guns or Polish Krabs.
