During the mid-1980s, North Korea had to face superior tanks in the South. However, these tanks were not comparable to Western tanks. At the time, South Korea had more advanced versions of the M-1 and K-1. They also increased their airpower capabilities. The United States also had M-1 Abrams (and the M-24). These tanks were equipped with the ability to fire missiles directly from the gun tube. These tanks could fire missiles from the gun tube. However, North Korea couldn't buy them from the United States. North Korea developed a third generation tank to match the performance of Western tanks.
It took ten long years to develop a third generation tank. North Korea was able hire experts from Eastern Europe after the collapse and completion of the Soviet Union. Their goal was for a tank capable of performing in the same category as the T-90S. The result was called the Xianjun-915 tank.
The Ryu Kyong-su Tank Factory in Shinhung, South Hamgyong Province, developed the tank. It has a mass of 44 tons, and a height of 2.416m. It has a diesel engine that has a power of 1200 horsepower. It can carry four crews. It also comes equipped with a smoothbore gun of 125mm length and two SA-18 Anti-Aircraft Missiles. The tank will reach speeds of around 70 km per hour. It is thought that the tank has a thermal imaging camera and an autoloader. It was believed to have received a number of armor upgrades from the T-90S, but it is unclear how many were implemented.
The tank's front has a large eye. This symbol is typical of Soviet tanks. It is thought that this is a precursor for the "Kimmata" tank, which North Korea is currently building. The main tank can easily be pierced using large-caliber gunpowder. The tank has reactive armor and a twin mount of surface-to-air missiles on the right side. The tank is also believed to have an angular turret, which is believed to be a copy of the Russian "Amata".
A prototype was presented in April 2017 for the tank. It was also reported that it had performed tests outside Pyongyang. It was believed that the tank had a 30-mm grenade launcher as well as an anti-tank missile called "Firebird". According to reports, it was an effective combat vehicle. Its performance has not been disclosed by North Korea. The tank's prototype will be unveiled at a ceremony on October 2010.
The North Korean main battle tank fleet is large. However, they are thirty years behind the times. They can be attacked with large-caliber ammunition and aren't comparable to Western tanks. The country has declared their desire to produce the best tanks in the world. They have increased their reverse engineering capabilities, and started to increase their weapon production. They've also been able buy tanks from other countries. During the 1990s, North Korea had a main battle force of two or three thousand tanks. In 2010, 55 new tanks had been produced.