Koksan
Encyclopedia
The M-1978 is a 170 mm self-propelled (SP) gun of North Korea
n design and manufacture. Very little information is available due to the secretive nature of the North Korean Government. What is known is that it is a 170 mm (~6.69") self-propelled gun of the open turret type. It was first seen publicly during a military parade in 1985.
reports the Koksan is based on a Chinese
Type 59
tank chassis. The 170 mm gun is in an open mount with no superstructure
, and is stabilized when firing by 2 large retractable spades at the rear. The 170 mm gun itself is a previously unknown type, possibly Russia
n coastal-defence or ex-naval weapon. The Koksan is named after the city in North Korea where it was first seen by the West in 1978. The M-1978 version carried no on-board ammunition supply.
The only known combat deployment of the KOKSAN was during the Iran–Iraq War. North Korea supplied these guns to the Iran
ians, who used the guns with some success against Iraqi batteries and positions well to the rear.
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
n design and manufacture. Very little information is available due to the secretive nature of the North Korean Government. What is known is that it is a 170 mm (~6.69") self-propelled gun of the open turret type. It was first seen publicly during a military parade in 1985.
Development
While information on the M-1978/M1989 KOKSAN is poor, Jane'sJane's Information Group
Jane's Information Group is a publishing company specializing in transportation and military topics.-History:It was founded by Fred T...
reports the Koksan is based on a Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
Type 59
Type 59
The Type 59 main battle tank is a Chinese produced version of the Soviet T-54A tank, an improvement over the ubiquitous T-54/55. The first vehicles were produced in 1958 and it was accepted into service in 1959, with serial production beginning in 1963...
tank chassis. The 170 mm gun is in an open mount with no superstructure
Superstructure
A superstructure is an upward extension of an existing structure above a baseline. This term is applied to various kinds of physical structures such as buildings, bridges, or ships...
, and is stabilized when firing by 2 large retractable spades at the rear. The 170 mm gun itself is a previously unknown type, possibly Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n coastal-defence or ex-naval weapon. The Koksan is named after the city in North Korea where it was first seen by the West in 1978. The M-1978 version carried no on-board ammunition supply.
Variants
The M1989 KOKSAN is a later version or modified M1978 which carries 12 rounds on-board ammunition supply.Deployment
North Korea employs the M-1978 and the upgraded version the M1989 in batteries of 36 vehicles mostly along the Korean DMZ. They are usually hidden behind sand or earth covered, five meter tall concrete structures.The only known combat deployment of the KOKSAN was during the Iran–Iraq War. North Korea supplied these guns to the Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ians, who used the guns with some success against Iraqi batteries and positions well to the rear.