North Korea has released images of ruler Kim Jung Un observing one-way attack drones developed by the isolated nation.
The images show Kim reviewing a series of unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) at the North Korea Drone Institute, according to the official Korea Central News Agency (KCNA).
The images show the launch of what appears to be a delta-winged loitering munition that resembles the Israel Aerospace Industries Harop system.
The images also depict what appears to be a tube-launched loitering munition striking targets such as a phased array radar mock-up and a tank.
“The mission of the drones to be used within different striking ranges is to attack any enemy targets on the ground and in the sea,” reports the KCNA.
“The drones of various types all correctly identified and destroyed the designated targets after flying along different preset routes.”
The KCNA adds that Kim proposed that the country develop a range of UAVs and drones for use in tactical situations as well as long-range intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
He also calls for artificial intelligence to be employed in UAVs.
Although North Korea maintains a large standing army, the nation’s conventional arsenal is believed to be vastly inferior to that of its main rival, South Korea.
In 2021, the USA’s Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) depicted the capabilities of the North Korean air force as marginal, with limited ability to project power beyond the isolated country’s borders.
As the war in Ukraine has demonstrated, however, nations can still use relatively inexpensive drones – effectively low-cost cruise missiles – to conduct long-range strikes behind enemy lines.
