North Korea test-fires new high-speed torpedo as navy buildup continues

News protection revealing file video of a North Korean military drill is seen on a screen at a train station in Seoul November 4, 2026. North Korea test-fired a brand-new high-speed torpedo system, state media reported today.– AFP pic

SEOUL, Nov 10– North Korea test-fired a brand-new high-speed torpedo system, state media reported today, as Pyongyang increases equipping its navy throughout increased stress on the Korean peninsula.

The weapon, evaluated the other day in the East Sea, the body of water likewise referred to as the Sea of Japan, is set up to go into service with the North Korean navy from early 2027, according to the main Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The launch follows a series of brand-new weapons the nuclear-armed nation has actually trialled in current weeks, consisting of attack drones, a brand-new precision-guided torpedo system and an intermediate-range hypersonic rocket.

The test comes throughout a broader drive by Pyongyang to broaden its maritime abilities and undersea strike abilities, consisting of brand-new destroyers and progressively advanced torpedoes.

“The Academy of Defence Sciences, the Missile Administration and the Torpedo Weapon Research Bureau validated the battle efficiency of the new-type high-speed torpedo weapon system” the other day, KCNA stated.

The launch “belongs to the required activities of the defence clinical research study institutes for putting the innovation of weapon systems on a highly-developed basis,” KCNA stated.

It did not supply more information about the torpedo’s requirements, abilities or launch platform.

Last month, North Korea stated it individually evaluated its Zam-2.0, a “super-speed” precision-guided torpedo that Pyongyang stated included expert system for target detection and assistance.

KCNA stated that test confirmed innovations developed to enhance propulsion performance and rocket propulsion, following more than 180 tests over 5 years.

Torpedoes are created to strike opponent targets undersea at high speed, however the mentioned intro of AI might likewise enable North Korea to perform incredibly elusive manoeuvres and make self-governing choices to puzzle an enemy, experts state.

In 2015, North Korea revealed a 5,000-tonne destroyer, with leader Kim Jong Un stating different brand-new surface area and torpedo weapon systems were under advancement.– AFP