On March 14, 2024, North Korea unveiled the M2024 main battle tank, an update from the earlier M2020 model, during combined exercises between tank and mechanized units of the North Korean Army, amid ongoing joint military drills between South Korea and the United States. The M2024 main battle tank incorporates several features aimed at enhancing its operational capabilities while also raising questions regarding North Korea’s tank design principles.
Currently, the new North Korean Main has no official name, therefore leaving no choice but to use a generic name. The first version of this tank, the M2020, was first revealed in October 2020 during a military parade marking the 75th anniversary of the Worker’s Party of Korea (WPK). As reported by Army Recognition on August 10, 2023, it appears that an accelerated production of the new North Korean main battle tank has recently been observed. The Kusong tank plant in North Korea has undergone significant renovations, doubling its size with a new manufacturing hall and additional production structures between October 2022 and June 2023, a fact that may also explain why the M2020 seems to be an exhibition model compared with the M2024, which is better thought out in terms of possible deployment in combat.
Starting with the slightly redesigned turret, which seems very similar to the American M1A2 Abrams, the M2024 is equipped with 21 explosive reactive armor (ERA) blocks at the front, intended to counteract the effects of incoming projectiles. Alongside these, there are six smoke grenade launchers designed to create a smokescreen, potentially obscuring the tank from enemy view. Additionally, there is a noticeable hole on the left side of the gun, speculated to be for an observation or vision device, as the alternative function as a casing evacuator seems unlikely due to the potential hazard of ejecting casings in front of the tank. The turret also includes two rectangular boxes that resemble components of an active protection system (APS), which are typically used to intercept incoming projectiles before they reach the vehicle.
The right side of the turret is fitted with a launcher for two anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), capable of pivoting like the TOW launcher found on the American Bradley, indicating an ability to engage different types of targets with what observers believe to be Bulsae-3 missiles, a copy of the Russian-made Kornet anti-tank missile. Each side of the turret also features approximately 12 ERA components and two blocks of three smoke grenade launchers, with another set of rectangular boxes suggestive of APS units, maybe the laser alarm receiver radars.