North Korea's First Indigenous Tank | M1981 Shin’heung

North Korea maintains one of the most peculiar large scale military industries of the modern world. Though the most famous of the country’s vehicles are without a doubt the main battle tanks - the Chonma-ho and Songun-Ho - North Korea actually manufactures a very wide range of vehicles, from self-propelled artillery pieces to light armored personnel carriers. An interesting vehicle in North Korea’s arsenal, and one which may have played a pivotal role in the development of North Korea’s military industry, is the M1981 Shin’heung, an amphibious light tank also known as the M1985 (its name given by the US Department of Defence) or the PT-85 (a popular name given due to the vehicle’s often greatly exaggerated link to the PT-76).
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THE ARMED FORCES OF NORTH KOREA, On The Path Of Songun, Stijn Mitzer, Joost Oliemans
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An article by Marisa Belhote
Narrated by Stan Lucian
Edited by Big Turn
Sound edited by Gabe

[@maxkronader5225]

I dont really consider the issue to be whether the DPRK armor was an unimaginative copy of USSR and PRC designs as whether it was combat effective for its day. For maintaining internal security, it was clearly adequate. As a force in a potential war with ROK and pre-positioned US forces? Not so much. The DPRK foolishly largely abstained from the lucrative 3rd world arms trade in the last quarter of the 20th century. That could have provided much needed influx of hard foreign currency and potentially funded a modernization of the DPRK military. But, that would require a realistic worldview and at least an average helping of common sense; two traits sorely lacking in the Kim dynasty.

[@JMiskovsky]

Syria would bought modern NK tanks. NK has Arms import and export embargo, but if there is will there is way.

[@KrisHandsome]

North Korea did sell weapons to several countries, most notably Iran, in the last quarter of the 20th century. They also were active in arms trading to Vietnam, which is where a lot of North Korean weapons in the US were brought back from. It’s also worth pointing out that until the very late 1980s North Korea’s economy was much stronger than that of the South. Until then they were much better equipped than the ROKA and enough to pose a threat to the US in the country. Even now they aren’t as poor as you’d think, mostly due to covert trade relations with China and the alleviation of the famines of the 90s, though their food supplies have once again dropped due to the COVID pandemic causing them to close their borders temporarily. I also wouldn’t say the DPRK’s leadership totally lacks a realistic worldview or common sense. Over the last 10 years Kim Jong Un has been presiding over a total modernization of their military. Gone are the 1950s era combat uniforms, and in with modern camouflaged uniforms with body armor. Their tanks have been improved, with other new models being introduced. Notably, they seem to put a lot of ATGMs on their tanks, probably because they may not have or not have enough modern AT munitions for their guns. They’ve even been making a new model of their AK-74 clones with railed handguards and dust covers. Of course, a lot of people claim without basis that all of this is fake, but it’s not a far out idea for a country which places great emphasis on its military to undertake modernization efforts and try to at least narrow the gap with its rivals.

[@nostrodelaantares8416]

"foolishly largely abstained" you forgot about a tiny microscopic detail called massive world-wide embargo

[@ravenouself4181]

You do realize the DPRK has been under the second heaviest sanctions in History since the Korean War, right? Heck, even it's civilian/passanger aircraft are only allowed to fill up just enough fuel to get to their destination and not a droplet more. Now, if You are wondering which is the most heavily sanctioned country in History, if the DPRK is the second - the answer is Cuba. Both the DPRK and Cuba are also sanctioned from importing/exporting food and medicines, the only way they can go around those sanctions is with the aid of the PRC and even that is limited.

[@ravenouself4181]

@@KrisHandsome To add to this, the DPRK had bought some submarines and other weapons from Yugoslavia before Yugoslavia's tragic death.

[@EpicThe112]

In the case of this North Korean current the 1980s builds are likely to have Romanian parts because of Nicolae Caesecu being one of the European allies of the current Leader Kim Jong Un's grandfather Kim Il Sung. The equivalent of the light tank across the 38th parallel is a K21 & K200.

[@1965Leonard]

Amphibious tanks is always a tactical advantage even if tank is obsolete. Nice review.

[@alexzenz760]

Survival chances on modern battlefields? Meager, at least. Slightly improved obsolete cccr designs - pt76, t 54/5, . Homegrown . At least.

[@petrsukenik9266]

Look at war in iraq How did old taks faired against more modern vehicles

[@Kalashnikov413]

Would be good to be added in War Thunder as the Chinese/North Korean Premium BR 6.7 light tank

[@davasaurthereal4678]

I think adding in more vehicles from other Asian countries (North Korea, Vietnam, Thailand even) to the Chinese tech tree would really help flesh out what is kind of a messy tree of other country’s vehicles.

[@Kalashnikov413]

@@davasaurthereal4678 agree

[@davasaurthereal4678]

@@Kalashnikov413 Not to mention some more native vehicles too, Chinese armor and aircraft are definitely more varied than The Snail makes them out to be.

[@user-kt8yp5ho2y]

Please review the South Korean M8 Greyhound that fought against the North Korean T34/85 during the Korean War.

[@TanksEncyclopediaYT]

Hello 이동연, While such articles are within our sights and within our scope, they are not currently in the works. You can add them to our Public Suggestion List and you can help by adding more sources (or other suggested articles) docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1p0Ll9TITGDiF9_fdS-tv1797JBs0_-pB70ReE_kIRkE/edit#gid=1911430820 Also, in order to help us with illustrating and publishing, please do consider donating through Patreon or Paypal. www.patreon.com/tankartfund Paypal.me/tankartfund

[@juanmc5731]

Nice. Obsolete or not, the question is how many are in service.

[@tacomas9602]

Probably not any more than a few hundred.

[@petrsukenik9266]

Obsolete tank is basicaly a gigantic target One south corean K2 tank could probably take out dozens of those old tanks

[@r.blakehole932]

North Korea is ALWAYS starved for fuel. In any real war, fuel consumption skyrockets and, if you don't have any reliable supplies all your tanks become pill boxes. So, in war, soon none are in service. In the Korean War North Korea was supplied by both the Soviet Union AND China. In any future war?????????

[@avnrulz8587]

More than will be on day two of any conflict.

[@notworldwarthunder2035]

All of them

[@carelhaasbroek1575]

Still won't beat the Bob semple.

[@ronaldharris6569]

The Bob semple armor supremacy rumbles over all

[@callumbush1]

Sanctions leads to self-sufficiency/improvisation!

[@petrsukenik9266]

And famine and lack of echnological advancement

[@callumbush1]

@@petrsukenik9266 they're advancing slowly but surely!

[@petrsukenik9266]

@@callumbush1 but everyone else are advancing quicker than them So the gap will only increase

[@brapgabslab7336]

stop defending NK

[@luka2298]

@@brapgabslab7336 stop attacking Nk and buying into trivial populist western propaganda. North Korea deserves to be defended from western ratts and compulsive capitalist liars. After all, 50 year of embargo and global sanctions are not enough to hold its socialist progress. That alone is deserving of not only a defense but praise.

[@PaperThinArmor]

Some sites refer to this tank as the Type 82 as well.

[@davidbeattie4294]

Its a shame the Kim family doesn't place the same focus on manufacturing farm equipment to help keep their captive population from starving. Note to self. Its really good technique to match the video portion of the presentation to the voice over. Helps keep the viewers attention from wondering how long the voice over can carry on before a new and completely unrelated image pops up.

[@Stahu147]

Where are you from, Stan? Your accent actually sounds kinda Korean. And you pretty much nailed the tank's name at 0:51. Outstanding material, anyways!

[@TanksEncyclopediaYT]

Romania

[@Stahu147]

@@TanksEncyclopediaYT oh, I see that I missed by a rather big margin

[@TanksEncyclopediaYT]

Been called French and Italian before. First time I get called a Korean :))

[@lil__boi3027]

@@TanksEncyclopediaYT TR-85 vid when?

[@TanksEncyclopediaYT]

Hello lil boi, While such articles are within our sights and within our scope, they are not currently in the works. You can add them to our Public Suggestion List and you can help by adding more sources (or other suggested articles) docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1p0Ll9TITGDiF9_fdS-tv1797JBs0_-pB70ReE_kIRkE/edit#gid=1911430820 Also, in order to help us with illustrating and publishing, please do consider donating through Patreon or Paypal. www.patreon.com/tankartfund Paypal.me/tankartfund

[@NorthKoreaUncovered]

Nice to see North Korean indigenous hardware getting the attention it deserves! Politics aside North Korea is a beautiful country and has many interesting qualities that I wish more people would take note of. Many thanks for this video.

[@neutrino5266]

ptdrrrrr

[@SWAPNESH23]

Good tank

[@gopherasoda2492]

This tank makes me even more disapointed with War Thunders Chinese tech tree

[@kevincho1187]

I always thought the chonma ho was the first cause of how i always thought they were independently produced

[@dannyib94]

@Tanks Encyclopedia I'm Romanian too! 🇷🇴! Great channel and videos! What do u think of Ceausescu and North Korea?!

[@dave7830]

They look good (though very dated) on the parade ground, but do they have the maintenance spares people to maintain them, and the infrastructure to support them? Without the support, you might as well not even crank them up.

[@ahmadshasha3632]

Coolllll

[@petrsukenik9266]

Its basicaly a range target for any sort of anti tank vehicle

[@rider660r]

23 minutes of A-10 snacks...........................brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrp

[@earistianreyes9830]

Very old technology, 50 years old late than south korean battle tank, north korean military force is designed in world war 1.

[@utzius8003]

That is a old vehicle in service, there are more modern tanks in North Lorean army. In no way does this have anything to do with WW1.

[@petrsukenik9266]

@@utzius8003 more modern than this? yes Modern in comparison to other nations tanks? No

[@utzius8003]

@@petrsukenik9266 Compared to Leopard 2, T-14 or Leclerc, no. But more modern than Arjun.

[@patriotenfield3276]

@@utzius8003 Arjun Mk1 to be exact.

[@patriotenfield3276]

@@utzius8003 and also equivalent to any Chinese tanks made in 80s.

[@commando0749]

Look like trash tank