North Korea has publicly shown a new mobile anti-tank missile system for the first time. The demonstration took place as part of the annual Defense Development 2025 exhibition in Pyongyang, Defence Blog reports.
At the event, a multi-purpose missile system was presented for the destruction of modern armored vehicles, fortifications, engineering structures and enemy manpower. The missile systems are mounted on a four-wheel drive wheeled vehicle with a pickup truck body . Each vehicle carries six guided missiles, probably Bulsae-4. Experts consider them to be a local analogue of the Israeli Spike NLOS system.
The Bulsae-4 missiles are equipped with an electro-optical guidance system and are designed for high-precision strikes from a distance. The system has a top-down attack mode, which allows it to hit the weakest points of armored vehicles — the upper sections — where the protection is usually the thinnest. According to information presented at the exhibition, the missiles are capable of hitting targets at a distance of 10 to 25 kilometers.
According to the publication, such complexes have already been used in combat operations during the Russian war against Ukraine. It is reported that the DPRK anti-tank groups used Bulsae-4 against Ukrainian positions and armored vehicles. In particular, on July 30, 2024, Ukrainian aerial reconnaissance discovered the Bulsae-4 M-2018 system, which is in service with the Russian troops, in the Shebekinsky district of the Belgorod region of Russia - this was later confirmed in Pyongyang.
In addition, the deployment of the system in the troops was further documented in a state-produced film shown during an awards ceremony for servicemen of overseas operational units of the Chinese army. The film includes footage of such installations launching missiles at Ukrainian armored vehicles in the border area of the Kursk region of Russia in late 2024 and early 2025.
Earlier, the DPRK showed its version of the Russian Pantsir SAM system at a defense exhibition. However, the system's characteristics were not provided.