Artillery

North Korean 155 mm self-propelled gun-howitzer

Also known as
  • North Korean 155 mm SPG
  • 155-mm self-propelled gun-howitzer
  • 155 mm self-propelled howitzer
  • new-type 155 mm self-propelled gun-howitzer
  • new-type 155mm gun-howitzer

The North Korean 155 mm self-propelled gun-howitzer is a new-type artillery system presented in 2026 North Korean state-media reporting as a long-range southern-border weapon. KCNA-mirror text described production for three battalions, mobility and carriage testing, an automatic firing system, and a claimed range beyond 60 km; a later KCNA-mirror test report said extended-range 155 mm shells reached 65 km.

North Korean 155 mm self-propelled gun-howitzer, 155 mm self-propelled gun-howitzer, Artillery
Image source: ChatGPT shared image for North Korean 155 mm self-propelled gun-howitzer

Role in Conflicts

2015 Various Conflicts
DeterrenceArea Denial

North Korean state-media mirrors and AP/Yonhap reporting in May-June 2026 described the system as being produced for three battalions of a long-range artillery unit on the southern border, with later 65 km shell tests tied to a changed southern-border fire posture. The sources used here document deployment and testing context, not combat employment.

Documented Service Context

The available record is concentrated in 2026 state-media reporting and wire coverage. It supports production, testing, and intended southern-border deployment, but not battlefield use.

DateDocumented pointSource support
2026-05-06Production for three battalions assigned to a long-range artillery unit on the southern border.KCNA field guidance at major munitions industry enterprise; AP North Korea 155-mm self-propelled gun-howitzers
2026-05-08AP and Yonhap-linked coverage framed the claimed range as enough to threaten the Seoul metropolitan area from North Korean front-line positions.AP North Korea 155-mm self-propelled gun-howitzers; Korea Times North Korea 155 mm border artillery report
2026-06-25North Korean reporting described hit-accuracy tests for extended-range 155 mm shells and tied the tests to a revised southern-border fire posture.KCNA major weapons tests report; AP North Korea destructive posture report

No source checked in this pass identified a formal model designation, a designer outside North Korea's defense-industrial base, combat use, or confirmed export service for this exact 155 mm system.

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
North Korea
Type
155 mm self-propelled gun-howitzer
Service note
Reported in 2026 North Korean production and deployment reporting
Designed
Reported in 2026
Produced
Reported in 2026

Specifications

Caliber
155 mm
Weapon class
Self-propelled gun-howitzer
Reported range
More than 60 km in May 2026 reporting
Extended-range shell test
65 km reported in June 2026 KCNA-mirror testing coverage
Planned deployment
Three battalions for a long-range artillery unit on the southern border within 2026
Mobility testing
Traveling, terrain-negotiation, and submerged river-crossing tests reported for the carriage
Fire-control claim
High combat-environment information processing capability and automatic firing system, per KCNA-mirror text
Reported Technical Notes
FeatureReported detailSource support
Gun classLarge-caliber rifled 155 mm self-propelled gun-howitzer.AP North Korea 155-mm self-propelled gun-howitzers
Range claimMore than 60 km in May reporting; 65 km extended-range shell test in June reporting.KCNA field guidance at major munitions industry enterprise; KCNA major weapons tests report
Mobility testingTraveling, terrain-negotiation, and submerged river-crossing tests for the gun-howitzer carriage.KCNA field guidance at major munitions industry enterprise
Fire-control framingNorth Korean reporting described high combat-environment information processing capability and an automatic firing system.KCNA field guidance at major munitions industry enterprise
Timeline

North Korean 155 mm self-propelled gun-howitzer Key Events

  1. Kim Inspects Munitions Factory Production

    KCNA-mirror text said Kim Jong Un inspected production of new-type self-propelled gun-howitzers for three battalions to be deployed to a long-range artillery unit on the southern border within 2026.

    Sources: KCNA field guidance at major munitions industry enterprise, AP North Korea 155-mm self-propelled gun-howitzers

  2. South Korean And International Coverage Identifies Seoul Range Issue

    AP and Korea Times/Yonhap reporting connected the claimed range beyond 60 km with North Korean front-line positions that could put the Seoul metropolitan area within reach.

    Sources: AP North Korea 155-mm self-propelled gun-howitzers, Korea Times North Korea 155 mm border artillery report

  3. Extended-Range Shell Tests Reported

    KCNA-mirror and AP reporting described tests of extended-range shells from the self-propelled gun-howitzer as part of North Korea's stated effort to change its fire posture on southern border areas.

    Sources: KCNA major weapons tests report, AP North Korea destructive posture report

Media

North Korean 155 mm self-propelled gun-howitzer Videos

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Related News

Sources

AP North Korea 155-mm self-propelled gun-howitzersPublisher: Associated Press | Note: Supports background and specs for the 155 mm self-propelled gun-howitzer and supports the 2015 Various Conflicts holding row by reporting that the system was to be deployed by North Korea to a southern-border artillery unit within 2026. | Accessed: 2026-07-01KCNA field guidance at major munitions industry enterprisePublisher: KKF Online English / KCNA | Note: Supports manufacturer/background and specs claims from the KCNA-mirror field-guidance text, including three battalions, mobility tests, range over 60 km, and supports the 2015 Various Conflicts holding row by describing the system as being deployed by North Korea to a southern-border long-range artillery unit. | Accessed: 2026-07-01AP North Korea destructive posture reportPublisher: Associated Press | Note: Supports the June 25, 2026 weapons-test context, including shells with extended firing range from a self-propelled gun-howitzer and the southern-border fire-posture framing. | Accessed: 2026-07-01KCNA major weapons tests reportPublisher: KKF Online English / KCNA | Note: Supports the reported 65 km extended-range shell test and supports the 2015 Various Conflicts holding row by describing the 155 mm self-propelled gun-howitzer as fielded in North Korea's southern-border fire-posture testing context. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Korea Times North Korea 155 mm border artillery reportPublisher: The Korea Times / Yonhap | Note: Supports the Yonhap/Korea Times report that KCNA described a new-type 155 mm self-propelled gun-howitzer for three battalions on the southern border and that the claimed range could put Seoul within firing range. | Accessed: 2026-07-01The Standard North Korea weapons tests reportPublisher: The Standard | Note: Supports additional reporting on the North Korean weapons-test context and the 155 mm self-propelled gun-howitzer production claim. | Accessed: 2026-07-01ChatGPT shared image for North Korean 155 mm self-propelled gun-howitzerPublisher: OpenAI | Note: Supports image provenance for the local catalog image asset. | Accessed: 2026-07-01