Vol. 2, No. 12 - December 2013
An August 24, 2013 photograph of Kim Jong-un standing in front of a newly constructed fast patrol craft armed with a new variant of the 30mm AK230, a 14.5mm CIWS and a 3-barrel chaff/flare launcher. (KCNA)
Articles in this issue include,
"KPN 30mm CIWS," by Joseph S. Bermudez Jr.
Since the early 2000s the Korean People’s Navy has undertaken both a small-scale shipbuilding program and a series of upgrades to a number of its existing vessels and weapon systems. One of these weapons is a 30mm gatling-gun CIWS. A August 2013 image of a KPN high-speed patrol boat shows a 14.5mm 6-barrel CIWS, a 3-barrel chaff/flare launcher and the 30mm gatling-gun CIWS.
"KPA Lessons Learned from Foreign Conflicts (III)," by Joseph S. Bermudez Jr.
Additional information concerning KPA lesson learned has been identified and is presented here. While some of this new information fits within specific conflicts the subject of camouflage, concealment and deception (CCD) within the ballistic missile and WMD programs crosses several time periods and is discussed here separately.
"Spaced Armor Screening for KPA Tanks," by Joseph S. Bermudez Jr.
While occasional photographs of KPA armor show attachment points for what was believed to be spaced armor, clear imagery of this armor remained elusive. In 2011, however, a documentary about Kim Chong-il and Kim Jong-un showed a short clip of Kim Chong-il speaking in front of a T-55 equipped with spaced armor screening.
"KPA Antennas (II)," by Joseph S. Bermudez Jr.
This is the second article on Korean People’s Army (KPA)—or in this case the Korean People’s Air Force (KPAF)—communications equipment and COMINT capabilities. This article is one of an occasional series that will provide brief insights on these subjects based upon interviews with experts and other open-source data.
"KPN Training Aids," by Joseph S. Bermudez Jr.
A number of readers have asked if there were any information or imagery available for KPAF or KPN training aids. One low-quality image, taken from an KCNA documentary shows a rudimentary KPN scale handling pool and two patrol craft bridge simulators.
"Organization of the KPA Tank Battalion," by Joseph S. Bermudez Jr.
Within the KPA there are several types of tank formations, the tank division, tank brigade/regiment, mechanized brigade/independent brigade/division-level tank battalion, independent light tank battalion and reserve military training unit (RMTU) tank battalion. Additionally, the KPA is believed to still possess a small number of SU-100 self-propelled gun battalions.
Additional Material
Editor’s Note and Endnotes