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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un witnessed the testing of “various kinds of reconnaissance and suicide drones” produced by the country’s Unmanned Aerial Technology Complex, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) announced on March 27.
The new drones are capable of “tracking and monitoring different strategic targets and enemy troop activities on the ground and the sea”, while the attack drones will “be used for various tactical attack missions”, KCNA said, noting that both drone systems have been equipped with “new artificial intelligence”.
After witnessing the tests on March 25 and 26, Kim agreed to expand the production capacity of “unmanned equipment and artificial intelligence.”
The leader also emphasized the importance of creating a long-term plan for North Korea to promote “the rapid development” of “intelligent drones”, which is “the trend of modern warfare”.
KCNA released photos from the tests showing several types of attack drones successfully striking military vehicles with high accuracy.
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Other photos showed a large reconnaissance drone, very similar in design to the United States military’s Q-4 Global Hawk which was developed for high-altitude operations.
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The photos also mark the first time North Korea has showcased its shadowy airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft.
North Korea’s efforts to build an early warning aircraft were previously reported when satellite images revealed that Pyongyang was converting a Russian-made Il-76 cargo aircraft into an early-warning role. Russia, China, India, and Iraq all used the Il-76 as a base for their own AEW&C aircraft.
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Kim inspected the aircraft, the official designation of which is not yet known, at Pyongyang International Airport earlier this week, according to KCNA . The aircraft will “play a significant role in monitoring potential threats and gathering critical information,” the leader reportedly said.
During his visit to the test site, Kim was also briefed on intelligence-gathering capabilities as well as electronic jamming and attack systems newly developed by the country’s electronic warfare group, KCNA said.
Tensions have been building up on the Korean Peninsula for a few months now. North Korea has conducted multiple weapon tests since the start of the year. Meanwhile, the military of South Korea continues to carry out joint military drills with the U.S.
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