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DEFENCE-BLOG
Russian forces have reportedly deployed a North Korean long-range anti-tank missile system, the Bulsae-4, also known as the M-2018, against Ukrainian troops.
This revelation comes from the Ukrainian defense publication Militarniy, which reported that Ukrainian aerial reconnaissance spotted the system in open terrain.
The Bulsae-4 allows for the engagement of armored targets from a safe distance, minimizing the risk to the missile system itself. This feature makes it a formidable addition to the battlefield, enhancing the long-range strike capabilities of the forces employing it.
The combat vehicle of the Bulsae-4 system comprises a launch package of eight missile containers mounted on a North Korean M-2010 6×6 wheeled armored personnel carrier chassis. This system is analogous to modern long-range anti-tank missile systems like the Israeli Rafael Spike-ER, Japan’s Type 96, China’s AFT-10, and Serbia’s ALAS.
The Bulsae-4 likely uses an electro-optical guidance system combined with command guidance via a fiber-optic cable. Unlike the Israeli Spike-NLOS, the North Korean system’s launcher does not feature the antennas associated with radio command guidance. Footage from North Korean television in June 2018 showed tests of a similar system, including a version launched from a helicopter.
In non-line-of-sight (NLOS) scenarios, the missile is typically launched along an initial flight path under inertial guidance and locks onto the target during flight (LOAL, or “lock-on-after-launch”). However, for shorter ranges, many surface-to-surface missiles lack the maneuverability to sharply alter their flight path to reach the target, especially when the target is obscured by structures such as walls or buildings until the missile is nearly overhead.
The use of North Korean weaponry by Russian forces highlights the complex and often opaque international arms relationships influencing the war in Ukraine.