IRIA News

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North Korea says it has successfully tested a new high-speed, precision-guided torpedo system that uses artificial intelligence (AI) for target detection and guidance, as leader Kim Jong Un seeks to strengthen the country’s naval capabilities and expand its underwater strike options.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on October 17, 2026, that the underwater test took place on October 15. The weapon, identified as Zam-2.0, was described as a “super-speed, precisely guided” torpedo system.

North Korea said the test verified improvements to its propulsion technology, including systems developed through more than 180 trials over the past five years. However, the report provided few technical details about the weapon’s AI functions or its demonstrated performance.

According to KCNA, North Korea has incorporated AI into the torpedo’s target detection and guidance functions. These capabilities could potentially help the weapon identify underwater targets and adjust its course during an engagement.

However, Pyongyang has not explained how the technology operates, whether the system can independently identify targets, or how effectively it performs under operational conditions.

The reported improvements also include a rocket propulsion unit intended to increase the torpedo’s speed and propulsion efficiency. The combination of high speed and precision guidance would be significant for an underwater weapon, where water resistance, navigation difficulties, and the need to maintain control can complicate development.

South Korea’s military, which has frequently questioned North Korean claims about advanced weapons, had not immediately commented on the latest announcement. No independent assessment of the test results was available.

Supercavitating Torpedo

Some analysts have suggested that Zam-2.0 could be a supercavitating torpedo because North Korea emphasized its high speed and referenced a rocket propulsion unit. Supercavitating torpedoes create a gas cavity around much of their bodies, reducing contact with the surrounding water and allowing them to travel considerably faster than conventional torpedoes.

Such systems could potentially reduce the time available for a target vessel to respond after detecting an incoming weapon. However, achieving high speed while maintaining accurate guidance and control is technically difficult. Countries that have pursued supercavitating torpedoes have encountered challenges in making them effective for operational use.

North Korea has not confirmed that Zam-2.0 uses supercavitation, and the available information is insufficient to establish its design or performance. The weapon’s actual speed, range, guidance accuracy, and ability to operate against moving targets remain unknown.

Accelerating Naval Modernization

The torpedo test is part of a broader effort to strengthen North Korea’s naval forces, which have generally been assessed as inferior to those of South Korea in several important capabilities. Pyongyang has increasingly highlighted submarines, underwater weapons, and other maritime systems as it seeks to expand the options available to its armed forces.

On October 14, North Korea conducted underwater-launched missile tests for the first time in nearly three years. Analysts believe the tests may have involved a submarine that has not yet entered service. Pyongyang has said the submarine is designed to launch nuclear weapons, although its operational status and capabilities remain unclear.

The development of submarine-launched missiles and advanced torpedoes could support a broader underwater strike strategy. Submarines can approach potential targets from different directions and operate below the surface, complicating surveillance and defense planning.

Torpedoes could provide an additional means of attacking naval vessels, while submarine-launched missiles would offer a different method of delivering conventional or nuclear weapons, depending on their design.

Shin Jong-woo, secretary-general of the Korea Defense and Security Forum, said North Korea was developing new submarine-launched torpedoes alongside its expanding submarine fleet. He described the effort as an attempt to reduce the capability gap between North Korea’s navy and South Korea’s forces.

North Korea has also conducted live-fire drills and commissioned a new warship in recent weeks, reinforcing the focus on maritime military development. The extent to which these systems will improve its overall naval effectiveness will depend on their reliability, deployment, and integration with existing forces.

Weapons Development and Regional Security

North Korea’s recent military demonstrations have extended beyond naval systems. The country tested hypersonic missile systems of different ranges on September 20 and October 3, presenting them as part of efforts to expand its ability to penetrate missile defenses in South Korea and Japan. Kim Yo Jong also claimed that the October 3 missile tests involved AI technology.

The repeated references to AI indicate that North Korea wants to present its newer weapons as increasingly sophisticated.

In principle, AI-assisted guidance could help a weapon process information and make adjustments during flight or underwater movement. However, claims of AI integration do not establish that a system can independently recognize targets, make engagement decisions, or operate reliably in complex combat conditions.

North Korea’s technical progress is difficult to assess because publicly available information about its tests is limited.

The country’s announcements provide insight into its stated development priorities, but independent verification is needed to determine how far its weapons have advanced beyond testing.

Diplomatic Stalemate Continues

The military buildup is taking place amid deteriorating relations with South Korea and a prolonged impasse in nuclear negotiations with the United States. Kim has ended most diplomatic engagement and cooperation with Seoul, describing South Korea as a permanent enemy.

Negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang broke down in 2019. U.S. President Donald Trump has called for renewed diplomacy, but Kim’s government has continued to demand that Washington abandon its hostile policy toward North Korea and stop making denuclearization a precondition for talks.

The latest torpedo test therefore serves both as a demonstration of North Korea’s stated military ambitions and as another indication of its continued reliance on weapons development amid stalled diplomacy. Whether Zam-2.0 represents a major advance will depend on evidence of its actual capabilities, rather than the AI and high-speed features highlighted in the official announcement.