South Korea XK3 MBT project

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briantk

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Latest concept design for K3 came out and I felt it is good time to post general summary on the development of the tank.
t730xjfo7e6b1.jpg
Shown in the background, visual image suggest it will use 130mm gun, and has cockpit module similar to Russian T-14 Armata.

History
The goal of the XK3 project is to maintain tank fleet around 2000 according to Defense Plan 2030. For more detail about Defense Plan 2030, please go to https://csis.org/publication/evolving-military-balance-korean-peninsula-and-northeast-asia
for free PDF file. By 2030, original K1 fleet would have been in service for about 45 years and need to retired. The goal to have a new tank in 2030 reflect similar projects of the US and Germany, FMBT with former and joint Franco-German project with the latter.

Armament

- Comparison of the modern tank guns
  • US M829A3 APFSDS, when fired from 44 calibre at 1555m/s can penetrate 800 to 900mm at 2000m.
  • German DM63 APFSDS, when fired from 55 calibre at 1750m/s at 2000m, can penetrate 700 to 750 mm.
  • 3BM42M APFSDS at 2000 meters can penetrate 600 to 650 mm, when fired from T-90A at 1700m/s.
  • T-14's 2A82-1M gun can fire 15 to 20% more pound per square inch then its predecesor, 2A45M with superior range.
  • Basic 105mm APFSDS for RoK military is K274, which can penetrate 470mm. Latest version K274N can penetrate 550 to 600 mm.
  • K1A1 is equipped with 44 calibre 120mm gun modeled after Rheinmetal 44 calibre 120mm gun with 74,000 psi.
  • K2 was originally planned to be fitted with 140mm gun, but instead chose 55 calibre 120mm gun with 97,000 psi.
Basic APFSDS for 120mm gun in RoK military is K276, when fired from K1A1 gun it is at speed of 1615 m/s but fired from K2, it is at speed of 1800m/s. Tungsten tipped K279 was originally planned to be based on carbon fiber-reinforced composite like US M829A2, but instead use Surface Coated Double Based technology like DM63. When fired from K2, it penetrates 700 to 750 mm at 2000m.

In XK3, the Korean military will research on rail gun or electro thermal-chemical gun, with remote turret with new generation of FCS. Electro thermal-chemical research was already pursued by Agency of Defense Development (RoK military R&D) when XK3 project is announced. The research began as soon as K2 entered production with intent goal to upgrade K2 with it. Goal of the research is to have gun that can fire APFSDS over 2100m/s and penetrating power of 1000mm at 1000m.
Research on rail gun by ADD began in 1989, in 1990 made first test, able to propel 1 gram of projectile with speed of
3400m/s.

- History of Electro Chemical and Railgun development
O5szhDc.png

1989-1990
In joint development with Seoul National University and Agency of Defense Development (South Korean military R&D), a 10mm railgun was developed using 300 Kj bank module capacitor which is capable of firing 1.3g of projectile at speed of 4.3km/s.

1992-1997
Continuing from previous project with SNU, a 20mm electrothermal-chemical gun was developed using two 600 Kj bank module capacitors with each capacitor compose of twelve 50kj capacitors. 107g projectile was fired at speed of 1.24km/s.

1998 - 2006
A 30mm electrothermal-chemical gun was tested with 2.4MJ Pulse Forming Network, composed of eight 300KJ modules. This platform test breechblock and recoil brake.

2007 - 2009
120mm electrothermal-chemical gun was tested using 150kj compact capacitive pulse power system, composed of four 37.5kj capacitor module. Capable of firing 4 to 5 times before recharge. At 82KJ, it could has breech pressure of 724MPa(105007 psi) with projectile speed of 1792m/s.
Note: US M256 120mm (Rheinmetall L44) gun mounted on M1 fleet has breech pressure of 630MPa(91373psi) and muzzle velocity of 1580m/s. Rheinmetall 120mm L/55 gun has breech pressure of 580MPa(84122psi) and muzzle velocity of 1750m/s.

2009-2011
A 25mm railgun tested using 2.4MJ pulse forming network from 30mm electrothermal-chemical gun.

2011-2014
40mm railgun was tested using two 2.4MJ PFN. The caliber is 40mm by 50mm, barrel length is 5.6m. It can discharge 300g of projectile at speed of 2 to 2.5km/s.
Note: Bofor 40mm/L70 has muzzle velocity of 1021 m/s and 40mm/L60 has 881 m/s.

2015- Current
A medium caliber railgun is being developed.

Second hand video of railgun test firing:
View: https://youtu.be/cGyWwQcH0tA


Armor
In early nineties, RoK procure several T-72 from Eastern Bloc and T-80U directly from Russia. RoK military was shocked that T-80U's 3BM42 APFSDS can penetrate 550mm at 1000m. This is further compounded by unsubstantiated news that DPRK was planning to procure 200 T-72 equipped with ERA. This spur the development of K1A1 and second generation of composite armor known as Korean Special Armour Plate (KSAP).

Original K1, equipped with Special Armour Plate, which is based on Chobham composite armor, was refitted with KSAP. K2 is fitted with third generation of composite armor with ERA and Non-Explosive Reactive Armor (NERA).

With XK3, Korea will research on Stealth technology(cloaking?), electromagnetic protection(force field?) and composite
armor.

-Electromagnetic Armor
Detail on this project is sparse but United Kingdom and US is known to pursuing the development. Here is brief news video that discuss the concept:
View: https://youtu.be/o7rxBifd0cY


Alternate sources for videos:
Link1
Link2

Early Concepts
ZpA2cZv.png
Counter clockwise from the top:
- independent commander targeting system
- direct energy weapon
- high efficient electric propulsion system
- active response defense system
- 360 degree situation awareness system
- vehicle mounted drone system
- vehicle rescue system and force field system
- smart wheel system
- flexible rubber track
- unified crew compartment
- mine and ied detection system
- grenade launcher
- somekind of energy road detection system
- railgun
- automatic unmanned turret.

Following concept design, which shows strong influence of Polish concept tank:
14c1d4f9316c330b39c1f9ffec2cf884.jpg
- 360 degree detector
- anti IED system
- Multipurpose missiles
- Smoke grenade launchers
- 360 degree radar
- Multipurpose drone
- ERA
- Active Brake Assist
- Bend Track
- 130mm gun or electrothermal chemical gun
- Capsule Crew Cockpit
- Pilot Camera
- Active Protection System
- Laser gun
- Autoloader
pt2xN4a.jpg
Left Top Column:
Crew - 2
Combat Weight - 30 to 40 tons
Speed: 80 km while on top speed and 60km on maintain speed
Maximum range: 500 km, stealth mode 4km
Primary armament: 130mm or electrothermal-chemical gun
Secondary armament: Lasergun and multipurpose missile		Right Top Column:
Defense System - Capsule Crew Compartment, Active Protective System, Anti IED
Remote Control - Direct control from HQ
C5ISR - HF radio, AI basic transportation, 360 degree surveillance, multipurpose drone, helmet mounted display
Mobility - Hybrid transmission that provide various mode of speed and crew comfort
Safety - Crew capsule, combined with composite armor and new generation ERA
Firepower - 130mm gun or electrothermal-chemical gun, with laser gun and multipurpose missile
Fire Control & Command and Control - automated fire control and various command and control feature including drone
Remote control from HQ.

SOURCE:
 
I don't think they're going to get the penetration performance they are wanting, Tungsten is optimized for penetration depth at about 1750m/s, DU at about 1500m/s. It's why the US didn't up-gun the M1A2 to an L55 barrel like the Germans did, but instead kept the L44 and the M829A3/A4 have just been larger diameter darts for more weight at the same speed.
 
Scott Kenny said:
I don't think they're going to get the penetration performance they are wanting, Tungsten is optimized for penetration depth at about 1750m/s, DU at about 1500m/s. It's why the US didn't up-gun the M1A2 to an L55 barrel like the Germans did, but instead kept the L44 and the M829A3/A4 have just been larger diameter darts for more weight at the same speed.
Click to expand...
If you are thinking about the graph comparing DU, tungsten and steel, you are misunderstanding it.

What the graph is saying is that for a fixed muzzle energy, there is an optimal velocity beyond which the penetrator will be too light for higher velocity to be useful. As in the graph says what happens when for a given energy you increase velocity and decrease penetrator mass.

If you were to use a longer gun with the same penetrator as the short gun, you would increase the muzzle energy itself and thus penetration. Now you may move out of the optimum velocity+mass combo for that muzzle energy but it would still be an improvement and you could absolutely redesign the penetrator to get back to the optimum and get the best performance out of the gun. Note the US did seriously test 120 L55 and 140mm with DU at greater velocities than the optimum on the graph (which was for 10 MJ muzzle energy). They also absolutely pushed for greater velocities even in the standard gun with the existing penetrator.
 
briantk said:
Tungsten tipped K279 was originally planned to be based on carbon fiber-reinforced composite like US M829A2, but instead use Surface Coated Double Based technology like DM63
Click to expand...
You've got the information mixed up. K279 was supposed to get a CFRP sabot, and the research was still on-going as of mid 2010s. Afterwrads, the inforamtion became rather scarce regarding the matter, same goes to K274N. SCDB didn't replace the composite sabot since they are obviously different technologies.
 
Elan Vital said:
Scott Kenny said:
I don't think they're going to get the penetration performance they are wanting, Tungsten is optimized for penetration depth at about 1750m/s, DU at about 1500m/s. It's why the US didn't up-gun the M1A2 to an L55 barrel like the Germans did, but instead kept the L44 and the M829A3/A4 have just been larger diameter darts for more weight at the same speed.
Click to expand...
If you are thinking about the graph comparing DU, tungsten and steel, you are misunderstanding it.

What the graph is saying is that for a fixed muzzle energy, there is an optimal velocity beyond which the penetrator will be too light for higher velocity to be useful. As in the graph says what happens when for a given energy you increase velocity and decrease penetrator mass.

If you were to use a longer gun with the same penetrator as the short gun, you would increase the muzzle energy itself and thus penetration. Now you may move out of the optimum velocity+mass combo for that muzzle energy but it would still be an improvement and you could absolutely redesign the penetrator to get back to the optimum and get the best performance out of the gun. Note the US did seriously test 120 L55 and 140mm with DU at greater velocities than the optimum on the graph (which was for 10 MJ muzzle energy). They also absolutely pushed for greater velocities even in the standard gun with the existing penetrator.
Click to expand...
Person who explained it to me had a very different understanding of it. They may have been incorrect.

As explained to me, any given material has an optimum speed for penetration. DU's speed is about 1500-1600m/s, Tungsten about 1750m/s. M829 APFSDSDU has gotten lighter sabots, so more energy is in the penetrator. Between A3 and A4, the penetrator got heavier, while velocity stayed the same (something like a 25% increase in penetrator diameter, for an almost 50% increase in weight and therefore 50% increase in energy).
 
Maro.Kyo said:
briantk said:
Tungsten tipped K279 was originally planned to be based on carbon fiber-reinforced composite like US M829A2, but instead use Surface Coated Double Based technology like DM63
Click to expand...
You've got the information mixed up. K279 was supposed to get a CFRP sabot, and the research was still on-going as of mid 2010s. Afterwrads, the inforamtion became rather scarce regarding the matter, same goes to K274N. SCDB didn't replace the composite sabot since they are obviously different technologies.
Click to expand...
Hmm... I wonder where I got the info wrong. Need to dig into my reference to admit mistake or make rebuttal.
 

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