A brand new variant of the Bulsae-4 electro-optical guided long-range anti-tank missile system has entered serial manufacturing in North Korea, with state media reporting that this may present a significant increase to the anti-armour capabilities of frontline models. Deliveries of the primary models are anticipated to start within the first half of 2026, whereas manufacturing capability is ready to rise by about 2.5 occasions. The Bulsae-4 has related traits to the American Javelin and Chinese language HJ-10 anti-tank missiles, together with non-line of sight focusing on capabilities, steering methods enabling ‘fireplace and neglect’ focusing on, and trajectories making certain affect on autos’ weaker prime armour. It boasts over twice the vary of the Javelin at an estimated 10 kilometres. The missile was first noticed being operated within the Ukrainian theatre in August 2024, both after its export to Russia, or when fielded by Korean Individuals’s Army models concerned within the struggle effort, and gives very important efficiency benefits over its Russian counterparts.
Offering perception into the way forward for the missile program, Chairman of the ruling Korean Staff’ Get together Kim Jong Un said throughout a go to to a manufacturing facility concerned in manufacturing that the brand new system may substitute some missions of rocket artillery, with its precision doubtlessly compensating for the a lot decrease volumes that can be utilized. Every missile is significantly extra pricey than much less exactly guided rockets. The usage of guided anti-tank missile methods for roles apart from participating enemy armour has turn out to be more and more prevalent in main conflicts, with the Bulsae-4 itself having been used to efficiently goal Ukrainian cellular artillery methods far behind the frontlines. The Lebanese paramilitary group Hezbollah used Almas methods with related steering options, albeit a lot shorter ranges, to focus on Israeli surface-to-air missile launchers and radar methods a number of occasions in 2024, whereas Israeli-backed insurgents in Iran in June 2025 used Spike missile methods to equally neutralise Iran’s personal ground-based air defences.
Orders to increase output of the brand new anti-tank missile system by round 2.5 occasions replicate a part of broader efforts to increase manufacturing of a variety of missile varieties which have concerned the development of a number of new factories. This enlargement has allowed North Korea to proceed to quickly increase its arms export profile, primarily by equipping the Russian Armed Forces that are more and more closely reliant on gear from the nation. Imagery from a manufacturing facility concerned in manufacturing has proven a constant missile and launcher structure throughout a number of platforms. Though the missile was beforehand deployed from a 6×6 armoured automobile, a brand new a lot lighter pickup-based “tank destroyer” with a six-missile launchers within the cargo has just lately been unveiled, whereas a man-portable variant can be anticipated to be introduced into service. The manufacturing facility images present missiles packed in sealed transport-launch containers which will be bolted onto automobile mounts, indicating a versatile containerised vehicle-based system.
The enlargement of manufacturing of contemporary anti-tank guided missiles is prone to have been at the very least social gathering financed by the estimated tens of billions of {dollars} in annual revenues which the North Korean defence sector is incomes from arms exports to Russia. The investments on this enlargement are prone to have been at the very least partly incentivised by the projected have to proceed quickly equipping Russian frontline models in addition to these within the Korean Individuals’s Army. Whereas the Russian-Ukrainian Struggle is anticipated to proceed or the foreseeable future, even when hostilities finish tensions between Russia and the quick rising and modernising floor forces of NATO are prone to lead to continued demand for stylish anti-tank guided missile methods.
