Russo-Ukrainian War: The 60mm Mortar PG

Source: Military Informant (milinfolive) on Telegram

     It is not a secret that the regime of North Korea has been supplying the Russian Federation with arms (as well as troops) to make up for the huge losses of equipment in the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War...equipment which the Russian military complex is unable to replace as fast as it is lost. One of the arms being provided is displayed here: the 60mm mortar PG (ᄑᄀ in the image). As a whole, 60mm mortars have fallen out of favor with most militaries due to their short range but they do have the benefit of being lightweight and able to provide close range, indirect fire.

     The North Korean PG is, more or less, a copy of the Chinese Type 31 60mm mortar. The Type 31 is the Chinese copy of the U.S. Army's M2 60mm mortar which appeared in 1940, being the American produced version of the French Brandt Mle 1935 60mm mortar. So, one could say the PG is a copy of a copy (Type 31) of a copy (M2) of a copy (Mle 1935). Nevertheless, the soundness of the Mle 1935 is evidenced by three countries electing to adopt the mortar.

     There is not a lot of specific information on the PG. Given it is a North Korean built version of the Type 31, it is reasonable to utilize the specifications for the Type 31 as the PG is likely similar in statistics and performance. The Type 31 has a total weight (to include the base plate, bipod, and sight) of 44 pounds and normally requires a crew of two.

     Ranging is done using a fairly basic non-telescopic, collimator sight which provides for elevation and deflection adjustments via cross and longitudinal levels. The white line down the center of the mortar tube can also be used for aiming. Maximum range is probably around 1 mile using a basic HE (High-Explosive) bomb. The minimum range is approximately 200 meters. Loading is accomplished by dropping the bomb down the muzzle and when it hits the bottom of the barrel, a pin striker ignites the bomb's propellant charge which then sends the bomb down range towards the target. A skilled crew is reported to be able to run between 15 to 20 rounds per minute through the Type 31.

     In the inset photograph, beneath the obliterated serial number, the wording is instructions that say to set the mortar on flat (or level) ground and align the mortar tube at 45 degrees. It could be that this is the optimal angle to achieve the most range but the PG is likely able to be elevated much higher (up to 85 degrees) and as low as 40 degrees. This is done by adjusting the legs of the bipod.

The M-1978 Koksan: North Korea's 170mm Self-Propelled Gun

A former Iranian M-1978 captured by Iraq during the Iran-Iraq War being towed away by U.S. Marines.

     The M-1978 “Koksan” is a rather unusual self-propelled gun (SPG) in a number of aspects. Built by the Second Machine Industry Bureau of North Korea, the SPG uses the chassis of the Chinese built and supplied Type 59 main battle tank (itself a Chinese version of the Russian T-54A tank) and mates it with a 170mm gun. The gun itself is a bit of a mystery given the caliber. Some sources say it was derived from a Russian naval gun except that the Russians never used any such caliber. The closest is the 180mm M1931/M1932 pattern naval gun. Other sources say the gun is some form of copy or version of the World War 2 German 170mm Kanone 18 or at least designed to fire captured stocks of 170mm ammunition supplied by Russia (which doesn’t seem completely plausible). 

     However the North Korean military arrived at the 170mm, the SPG first appeared to Western eyes in a military parade in 1978 held in Koksan County, located in North Hwanghae Province. Since the actual designation for the SPG is not known, Western intelligence analysts gave it the name M-1978 Koksan after the year and place it was first seen. The Koksan was one of the first weapon systems North Korea exported and the only foreign buyer was Iran who purchased a number of them in 1987 and they saw action during the Iran-Iraq War (September 22, 1980 to August 20, 1988), shelling Kuwaiti oil fields using rocket-assisted rounds which made them immune from Iraqi counter-battery fire. During the war, Iraqi forces captured several of the M-1978 and emplaced them as war trophies. 

     The one in the image was located near the University of Anbar in Ramadi, Anbar, Iraq and is seen being towed away by U.S. Marines in 2008. The M-1978 remains in North Korean service and some sources say surviving Iranian M-1978s also remain in service with Iranian artillery forces.