On Saturday (April 8), North Korea stated to have managed another test of a nuclear-capable underwater attack drone, state media reported.The drone in question is the so-called “Haeil-2,” the third test in Pyongyang, followed by a new underwater drone system called “Haeil-1,” which translates to “tsunami” in Chinese and was launched in March. Debuted on the 23rd.
The test was also billed as North Korea’s latest show of power against the United States and South Korea, which have been conducting a series of annual spring military exercises on the Korean Peninsula since March.North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that tests of an underwater strategic weapons system took place between April 4 and 7.
The drone was submerged for 71 hours and 6 minutes for a distance of 1,000 kilometers and succeeded in reaching the simulated target. “This test fully demonstrated the reliability of the strategic underwater weapon system and its lethal strike capability,” KCNA said.
So far, North Korea has claimed three underwater drone tests within three weeks, the first on March 23, which it said was capable of triggering “radioactive tsunamis”. At the time, state media said the drone had voyages underwater for 59 hours and 12 minutes before disintegrating.
About five days after, North Korea claimed to have managed a second test of the Haier drone system. Meanwhile, South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong Sabu told lawmakers that “Seoul has the ability to monitor and detect the underwater drones.”
But analysts remain skeptical that the submarine is ready for deployment and poses a meaningful new threat to North Korea’s growing nuclear arsenal. He said he believed North Korea’s claims could be “exaggerated or fabricated.”
The latest test also came just days after South Korea and the United States held joint aviation exercises on Wednesday and reportedly involved at least one US nuclear-capable B-52H strategic bomber.North Korea view military exercises as rehearsals for aggression.
Last year, North Korea declared itself an “irreversible” nuclear power, but satellite imagery showed North Korea ramping up production of weapons-grade nuclear material on the orders of Chairman Kim Jong-un.
