D
Land ForcesNorth Korea

Chonma-ho

Main battle tankIn serviceFielded 1978Pending verification
Land ForcesPRK
Identification silhouette. Not drawn to scale between entries.
Fact cardConfidence · Source
System
TypeMain battle tank
Date of introduction1978
ProliferationAt least 4 countries
Crew4Med[1]
Dimensions and weight
Width3.3 m11 ftMed[1]
Height2.4 m8 ftMed[1]
Combat weight34 tMed[1]
Automotive performance
EngineV55-5Med[1]
Engine power580 hpMed[1]
Max road speed50 km/h31 mph · 27 ktMed[1]
SuspensionTorsion bar, five road wheels, rear-drive, front idler, two shock absorbers on each sideMed[1]
Fording depth, without Preparation1.40 mMed[1]
Fording depth, with Preparation5.50 mMed[1]
Protection
Hull ArmorFront: 102mm; Sides; 79mm; Rear: 46mm; Top: 31mmMed[1]
Turret ArmorFront: 242mm; Sides: 153mm; Rear: 97mm; Top: 40mm; Hatches: 30mmMed[1]
Armament
Secondary armament1 x coaxial 7.62 mm medium machine gun derived from the Soviet PKT.; 1 x 14.5 mm KPVT heavy machine gun is operated by the loader. The weight of the gun is about 50 kg, which forces the loaMed[1]
Variants
Chonma-92The Chonma-92 was presented at a parade for the 60th anniversary of the founding of the KPA, on 25th April 1992, and showed off new North Korean upgrades, such as a new welded turret equipped with Explosive Reactive Armo[1]
Chonma-98The Chonma-98 was first spotted during a parade in 2000 and featured a new welded turret shaped like more modern Chinese MBTs, such as the Type 85.[1]
Chonma-214The Chonma-214 appeared for the first time in 2001. It seems to be the serial production version of the Chonma-98. The vehicles shared many upgrades, such as the same turret and laser rangefinder, even if the Chonma-214 [1]
Chonma-215The Chonma-215 appeared with add-on armor on the hull front and rubber flaps on the lower hull’s front. The turret add-on armor seems to be different from the previous one on the Chonma-214.[1]
Chonma-216The Chonma-216 appeared for the first time at the North Korean Tank Exhibition on 12th April 2012. On this version, the smoke launchers are mounted in two rows, instead of a single row, as on previous models. In 2018, th[1]
Summary

The Chonma-Ho North Korean Main Battle Tank (MBT) Since its inception, it has undergone several extensive upgrades. Little public information is available about this tank.

Draft entry. Values come from the cited public sources and are awaiting editor verification.
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Operators
EritreaEthiopiaIranNorth Korea
Sources
  1. Chonma-Ho North Korean Main Battle Tank (MBT), U.S. Army TRADOC G-2 Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN)
    Published/updated 2026-03-20 · Tier 1 · checked 2026-10-10
Change log
  • 2026-10-04 Entry created from the Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN)