​North Korea's Parade Reveals Weapons russia Might Want Next

Every visit by a russian delegation to North Korea can now be seen through the prism of Pyongyang's role as the only openly declared supplier of weapons and manpower to russia.

Therefore, the recent visit by russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev to North Korea, on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Workers' Party, can be viewed in this light.

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This time, the russian delegation was unusually large for what was officially described as a courtesy visit to its closest ally.

It should be noted that the military parade was only part of a larger public event, with its traditional ostentatious scale. The military equipment on display was not particularly impressive in terms of quantity, but rather concise and focused on showcasing new models.

The first tanks to appear in the parade were the Chonma-20, also known by their Western designation, the M2024. The tank is equipped with a 125 mm gun featuring a barrel length of approximately 55 calibers. This vehicle visually replicates the main trends in modern tank design, such as an active protection system and a remotely controlled machine gun module. In North Korea's case, this is most likely just a sham.

They were followed by 152-mm M2018 self-propelled guns, which did not appear in the official photos. Next, the focus shifted to missile technology. The parade featured the first display of a new multiple launch rocket system equipped with 22 unguided rockets.

Given the small size of the ammunition, it is most likely a short range weapon with a range of several dozen kilometers. The large cylinder on the front of the package may contain radio equipment, though its exact purpose is unknown.

The 600-mm KN-25 MLRS with a range of up to 400 km is constantly on display in Pyongyang, but this time the cabin has been slightly modified.

Another MLRS is a traditional representative of North Korea's copying practices. This time, it is HIMARS. These launchers were spotted for the first time. At the center of the package are 122 mm and 240 mm launch tubes taken from older MLRS systems.

Copies of the Israeli Harop loitering munitions were also demonstrated for the first time. The DPRK has been quite active in testing them. However, while the original Harop is a "radar hunter", it is not certain that the North Korean variant has the same capabilities.

Launchers carrying missiles of unknown purpose, first revealed in 2020, were showcased at the parade. These are most likely air defense missile system launchers.

The Hwansong-11Na ballistic missile, also known as the KN-24, a visual copy of the ATACMS, received new wheeled launchers.

The Hwasong-11Ma, a two-stage variant of the KN-23, a copy of the Iskander, was shown for the first time at the parade. The system features a hypersonic glide vehicle, though its authenticity is uncertain.

Similar hypersonic glide vehicles are found on the Hwasong-16B, medium-range ballistic missiles that were also displayed at the parade.

The show was closed by the Hwasong-20, a new intercontinental solid-fuel ballistic missile on a mobile system with an estimated range of 15,000 km.

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