North Korea "Underwater Explosion Test of Nuclear Unmanned Underwater Attack Vehicle from 21st to 23rd"

"Strategic Cruise Missile Nuclear Warhead Explosion Simulation"

North Korea announced that from the 21st to the 23rd, under the observation of Chairman Kim Jong Un, it conducted an underwater explosion test of the 'nuclear unmanned underwater attack vehicle' and an airburst test simulating a nuclear warhead of a strategic cruise missile.

The Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea conducted tests on a new underwater attack weapon system from the 21st to the 23rd, according to a report by the Korean Central News Agency on the 24th.

North Korea "Underwater explosion test of nuclear unmanned underwater attack vehicle from 21st to 23rd"... Kim Jong-un attended [Image source=Yonhap News]

The agency reported, "On the 21st, the nuclear unmanned underwater attack vehicle deployed for training off the coast of Riwon County, South Hamgyong Province, submerged at depths of 80 to 150 meters along an elliptical and '8'-shaped course set in the East Sea of Korea for 59 hours and 12 minutes, reaching the target point in the Hongwon Bay waters simulating an enemy port on the afternoon of March 23, where the test warhead detonated underwater." It also claimed, "The test results accurately evaluated all tactical and technical specifications and navigational technical indicators of the nuclear unmanned underwater attack vehicle, verifying its reliability and safety, and perfectly confirmed its lethal strike capability."

The agency referred to the new underwater attack weapon system as a "secret weapon," stating, "It was named 'Nuclear Unmanned Underwater Attack Vehicle Haeil' at the 8th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea, and since the party congress, it has undergone more than 50 various final-stage tests over the past two years."

It added, "The mission of the underwater nuclear strategic weapon is to covertly submerge into the operational waters and cause an ultra-powerful radioactive tsunami through underwater explosion to destroy and annihilate enemy ship groups and major operational ports," and claimed, "This nuclear unmanned underwater attack vehicle can be deployed to operate near any coast, port, or surface vessel."

On the 22nd, the agency reported that launch training was conducted to train strategic cruise missile units in tactical nuclear attack mission procedures and processes. It stated, "The strategic cruise missiles were equipped with test warheads simulating nuclear warheads," and claimed, "Two 'Hwaseol-1' type and two 'Hwaseol-2' type strategic cruise missiles launched from Jakdo-dong, Hungnam District, Hamhung City, South Hamgyong Province, flew elliptical and '8'-shaped flight trajectories simulating distances of 1,000 km and 1,800 km lines in the East Sea of Korea for 7,557 to 7,567 seconds and 9,118 to 9,129 seconds respectively, hitting their targets accurately."

It also added, "Each type applied an airburst strike method at a set altitude of 600 meters, once again verifying the operational reliability of the nuclear explosion control devices and detonators."