The ROK Army operates 35 T-80U and 70 BMP-3 as the core of its 3rd Mechanized Regiment that defends Korea's eastern border. They were given by Russia during the weapon-for-debt Brown Bear program in the 1990s.











In 2005, the Korean BMP-3 received upgrades to its thermal imaging camera and targeting systems (together with a wind speed/directional sensor and something else I don't know) for better all-weather night fighting capability. They now have separate gunner's sight and commander's panoramic sight like the Russian Army's.
old and new:



The T-80U got upgrades to its ballistic computer and fire control unit as well in minor localization projects of Army strategic materials for ease of maintenance
The T-80U are fully armored with ERA and SAP. After a recent overhaul, they also use performance-improved engines that improve fuel efficiency and reduce breakdown rate and gas emission.




ocalization of cases (3/4)
T-80U tram engine - domestic maintenance capacity development
Summary: T-80U tanks (Russia) the main engine, auxiliary engine has been overseas maintenance, but
Maintenance required for a long-term maintenance budget by excessive domestic maintenance propulsion technology development
Development period: '03. From December '08. August

Localization of cases (4/4)
BMP-3 armored personnel carriers - domestic maintenance capacity development
Overview: BMP-3 armored personnel carriers (Russia) in the horizontal amplifier, control device has been overseas maintenance, but
Maintenance required for a long-term and maintenance budget by excessive domestic maintenance propulsion technology development
Development period: '07. From January '09. April

rear view of T-80U before overhaul:

According to Army Logistics, because the T-80U/BMP-3 fleet was kinda small, shipping the needed spare parts in small packages all the way from Russia each time a vehicle was grounded was not very efficient, so they set up a maintenance depot and component factory for them separate from the K-series vehicles, and localized some parts that Russia would approve. As a result, the ROKA fleet of T-80U and BMP-3 can maintain high readiness level at all times and have been used rigorously. They also have maintenance simulators for both T-80U and BMP-3 as instruction materials for the maintenance crew.



While T-80U and BMP-3 are formal warfighting assets of the ROK Army, they are also strategically valuable intelligence sources of NK's potential armored capabilities. In fact, in the 1990s, amidst intense fearmongering from the public that the disaster-struck NK would soon initiate a desperate last war, ROKA overestimated that NK would deploy tanks that were superior to the T-72 in the conflict. So the ROK president decided to buy one of Russia's best tanks to learn their capabilities. In the end, NK introduced the Pokpoongho tank by almost a generation late, when pitched ground warfare in the Korean peninsula has already become largely irrelevant, but at the time T-80U provided ROKA with a much needed quick fix for its intelligence efforts, including in determining a suitable ROC for the armor and weapons of K1A1


http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums...-80U-and-BMP-3