WORLD NEWS | North Korea claims to test nuclear-capable underwater drone

Seoul [South Korea]March 26 (ANI): North Korea recently claimed to have tested an underwater drone capable of carrying a nuclear warhead that could create a “radioactive tsunami,” but analysts are skeptical, CNN reported. , due to lack of evidence.

A report by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the drone, dubbed the “Unmanned Underwater Nuclear Attack Boat ‘Haeil’,” was tested on March 21-23 off the country’s east coast The waters cruised over Thursday afternoon, 59 hours before its test warhead detonated.

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“The mission of the underwater nuclear strategic weapon is to sneak into the combat waters secretly, create a super-large-scale radioactive tsunami through underwater explosions, and destroy the enemy’s naval strike groups and major combat ports,” KCNA reported.

The KCNA reported that the weapon had been under development since 2012 and had been tested more than 50 times in the past two years.

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This week’s test “verified its reliability and safety, and fully confirmed its lethal strike capability,” KCNA reported, adding that the drone could be deployed from any port or by surface ships Drag to start the job.

Analysts cast doubt on North Korea’s claims, noting that North Korea had previously exaggerated its capabilities and deployment timelines, CNN reported.

“Pyongyang’s recent claim that it has a nuclear-capable underwater drone should be viewed with suspicion” because North Korea has not provided evidence, said Leif Eric Easley, an associate professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul.

In March 2022, North Korea released footage of what it claimed was a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), but was later discredited by experts.

“I tend to take North Korea seriously, but cannot rule out the possibility that this is an attempt at deception,” Ankit Panda, a nuclear policy expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, wrote on social media Friday.

He added that it would be “unwise” to allocate limited fissile material to warheads for underwater drones rather than more “road mobile” ballistic missiles.

Russia claims to have developed the Poseidon torpedo, a submarine-launched nuclear-powered unmanned underwater vehicle capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear munitions. Its nuclear propulsion system will give Poseidon a virtually unlimited range. According to CNN, the new underwater weapon that North Korea claims has important differences from Poseidon.

Analysts say it is conventionally powered and not launched from a submarine, meaning it is no match for Russian torpedoes.

North Korea’s announcement of the drone test came as Pyongyang said it tested a nuclear-capable cruise missile this week.

Four of the subsonic missiles hit targets in the East Sea, also known as the Sea of ​​Japan, on Wednesday after flying in oval and figure-of-eight patterns for 1,500 and 1,800 kilometers (932 and 1,118 miles), KCNA reported.

Wednesday’s exercise “familiarized the strategic cruise missile force with the procedures and processes for conducting tactical nuclear strike missions,” the report said.

The state-run Rodong Sinmun published a series of photos on its website that it said showed cruise missiles and underwater drones.

The above images, published by the state-run Rodong Sinmun, purportedly show cruise missiles and underwater drones.

The KCNA report said Pyongyang’s development of nuclear weapons was necessary to counter “reckless military provocations that are being escalated by the U.S. and South Korean authorities.”

U.S. and South Korean troops have held their largest military drills in five years in the southern part of the Korean peninsula, CNN reported.

North Korea has been testing a variety of missiles simultaneously, including smaller-range missiles such as an intercontinental ballistic missile last week and a cruise missile on Wednesday.

According to CNN, analysts said Pyongyang was sending a message to the United States and its allies in the region.

“North Korea’s ICBM test is an unabashed threat that it could destroy American cities,” Easley said. “Its recent launches of short-range missiles seek to increase the credibility, command and control of what it says are tactical nuclear weapons forces targeting South Korea and Japan.” (Arney)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)