First Confirmed Use of North Korean-Produced Bulsae 4 ATGM Carrier During Ukrainian Conflict

On July 30th, a video appeared on social media depicting Russian forces destroying a British-made AS-90 Self-Propelled Howitzer (SPH) in Ukraine. While destruction of SPHs and other equipment is a common occurrence seen during the conflict, this incident is significant because it is the first time Russia used a M-2018 Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) launcher during the conflict..July 30th Strike Against AS-90 Self-Propelled Howitzer.The strike occurred as the AS-90 was conducting fire missions in support of operations on the Kharkiv Front..Two Russian Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) recorded the strike on the AS-90. One of the UAVs initially located the AS-90 as it began to fire, zoomed in on the howitzer to verify it, and maintained its sensor on the SPH..The UAV's operator then zoomed out to gain a wider view of the AS-90 and area. Footage from the second UAV showed a missile flying towards the AS-90 on an arch trajectory before striking and destroying the howitzer..The first UAV operator then recorded the SPH's ammunition detonating before zooming the sensor out to record footage of the wider area. The operator then zoomed in to verify the AS-90's destruction and record the aftermath of the strike..A Ukrainian UAV conducting reconnaissance along the border with Russia located a North Korean-produced M-2018 ATGM carrier around the time of the strike on the AS-90. The M-2018 was located in a field close to at least one roadway, about 16 miles (26 kilometers) southeast of the city of Belgorod, Belgorod Oblast. The footage and images did not provide any further details about the M-2010's crew or if there were additional vehicles in the area..M-2018 Anti-Tank Guided Missile Carrier.The M-2018 Jongma ATGM carrier is a modified M-2010 Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) that is based on the Soviet-era BTR-80A. However, North Korea heavily modified the M-2010, incorporating several modifications from other armored vehicles, such as the M-1973 Sinhung tracked amphibious APC and BTR-60PB/69 APCs. Modifications are found throughout the vehicle, ranging from the vehicle's turret to the hull. The M-2010's most notable modification is its enlarged turret that is armed with two tandem 14.5mm KPV heavy machine guns and a 7.62mm coaxial machine gun. Another notable modification is that the APC's side doors are one piece and hinge on the upper side plates. The dividing line between the M-2010 side plate's upper and lower sides is located at a lower position than the BTR-80A. The APC's rear deck differs significantly from the BTR-80A. Notable differences include the lack of covers for the cooling grids and the rear plate is broken up into two angulated horizontal pieces..North Korea modified the M-2010 by changing the APC from an eight wheeled to a six wheeled vehicle developed to conduct reconnaissance. The six wheeled version is the basis for the M-2018, with North Korea modifying the vehicle by changing its turret to one that houses eight Bulsae 4 ATGMs situated in a four canister double stacked rack inside an enlarged rectangular turret. The turret has laser warning devices and three smoke grenade dischargers mounted on either side of the turret. The carrier stows the ATGM missile rack inside the turret, deploying them by opening the turret's cover and exposing the rack. The M-2018 has a simple periscope for the vehicle commander to use for observation and orientation purposes. The carrier also has a datalink antenna on the turret to send and receive signals..The Bulsae 4 ATGM is produced by North Korea, likely at the Sinuiju Measuring Instrument Factory in the city of Sinuiju, located in North Pyongan Province. The ATGM is one of the latest versions of the Bulsae missile family that North Korea manufactures. The missile uses Non-Line of Sight (NLOS) guidance that allows it to strike targets up to about 16 miles (25 kilometers). The Bulsae uses an inertial navigation system along with GPS-assisted guidance that allows the missile to be guided to the target. The missile also has the ability to have preprogrammed trajectories uploaded before the operator launches the ATGM..The missile would process the information and develop command signals for its motion control mechanisms to strike the target. The ATGM's seeker may have a tandem daytime CCD television and thermal imaging sensor. The missile seeker has the ability to transmit images to the operator's station either through a dual fiber optic or through radio datalinks. The operator can maneuver the missile using a joystick to either adjust the missile's flight path or guide it to the target in real time..M-2018's Presence Indicates North Korea's Increased Role in Ukrainian Conflict.The M-2018 ATGM carrier is the most definitive confirmation that North Korea is supplying weapons to Russia for use in Ukraine. However, the M-2018's use in the Ukrainian conflict allows North Korea to gather data to improve on its weapon systems and possibly develop more advanced weapons. The M-2018's presence may point to North Korea's increased role in the conflict, such as advising, training, or operating the systems. The Russian military would be unfamiliar with how to employ the M-2018 and would need Korean People's Army Army (KPAA) officers to act as advisors. The advisors would also train Russian soldiers on how to use the M-2018 because the Russian military does not operate a similar system. It is likely, however, that the KPAA advisors would operate the M-2018 to gain experience using the system in a combat environment..The KPAA advisors would also train Russian soldiers on how to use the M-2018 because the Russian military does not have a similar system. The 9P148 4×4 Amphibious ATGM carrier is the closest system that Russia has, but the ATGMs it uses are the 9M113 Konkurs/AT-5 Spandrel. The Konkurs uses Semi Automatic Command Line of Sight instead of NLOS. Furthermore, the carrier is based on the four wheeled BDRM-2 armored scout car that has a significantly different shape and profile than the M-2018..The M-2018 and other systems, such as the KN-23 Short Range Ballistic Missile, allow North Korea to gain data on how its systems perform in a realistic combat setting. Russia would provide feedback regarding the M-2018 and Bulsae 4's performance in Ukraine for North Korea to improve on the systems. For example, Russia could provide North Korea with information about the Bulsae's accuracy, trajectory, the guidance system's performance, and any issues that may have occurred. The feedback would be important for North Korea because it would allow the country to improve the ATGM. For example, North Korea would be extremely interested in receiving information regarding how the Bulsae guidance performed. The ATGM can use an inertial navigation system along with GPS-assisted guidance or fiber optic cable to maneuver to the target..North Korea would be interested in how the Bulsae 4's fiber optic cable performed because of the possibility for it to become tangled in objects during flight. The data point would likely allow North Korea to develop a follow on to the Bulsae 4 that solely relies on datalink like the Chinese produced CM-102GA ATGM it is based on. North Korea would be interested in receiving data regarding the Bulsae's accuracy, especially when used with UAVs for target acquisition and tracking. Any feedback regarding the missile's accuracy would enable North Korea to develop Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs) for the army to effectively employ drones and M-2018s as hunter-killer teams. These TTPs would also be carried over to other ATGM carriers that North Korea produces, such as the M-2020 ATGM carrier that uses the Bulsae 5.