N. Korea tests new torpedo, eyes early 2027 deployment

North Korea has conducted a test firing of a new torpedo in the East Sea, according to state media on Tuesday. The North Korean government plans to deploy the advanced high-speed torpedo system with its Navy in the early part of 2027, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. The Academy of Defense Sciences, the Missile Administration, and the Torpedo Weapon Research Bureau confirmed the combat effectiveness of the new torpedo during Monday's test.

This test is part of mandatory activities for defense research institutes to enhance weapons technology, the KCNA added. Pyongyang has been actively striving to bolster its naval capabilities through a series of weapons tests. Last month, the regime carried out an underwater test of a new high-speed, precision-guided torpedo equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) technology, describing it as a significant advancement in its naval capabilities.

Additionally, the North fired two types of strategic cruise missiles from a presumed 3,000-ton submarine in the East Sea in June. In the preceding month, the regime commissioned the 5,000-ton Choe Hyon destroyer in the West Sea.