N. Korea tests new precision-guided torpedo using AI: KCNA

North Korea conducted an underwater test Thursday of the Zam-2.0 high-speed precision-guided torpedo system. The country said Saturday that artificial intelligence was used for target detection and guidance, describing the test as a significant advance for its naval capabilities. More than 180 related tests have been conducted over five years. Experts said the system could be a supercavitating torpedo intended for submarine deployment.

The torpedo’s stated technical upgrade involved propulsion efficiency and the performance of rocket propulsion devices.

North Korea did not disclose further details about the Zam-2.0 system.

A supercavitating torpedo creates an air bubble around its nose to reduce water resistance and travel faster underwater.

Lim Eul-chul said the system could target major South Korean Navy surface ships because it may be difficult to detect and evade.

North Korea recently commissioned the 5,000-ton Choe Hyon and Kang Kon destroyers in the West Sea and East Sea, respectively.

Published Oct 17, 2026 9:26 am KST

Updated Oct 17, 2026 12:18 pm KST

This photo, carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency, Thursday, shows the North firing two types of strategic cruise missiles from a submarine the previous day. Yonhap

North Korea said Saturday it has conducted an underwater test of a new high-speed precision-guided torpedo weapon system that uses artificial intelligence (AI) technology, noting that the test heralds a "significant" change in the North's naval capabilities.

North Korea test-fired the Zam-2.0 super-speed precision-guided torpedo weapon system Thursday to confirm the successful technical upgrade of the weapon, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). It did not disclose further details of the weapon.

Key national defense officials who oversaw the weapon test assessed that it "served as a great success foreseeing a significant change in the actual development of the Navy," the KCNA said.

North Korea said AI technology was applied to the target detection and the guidance function of the torpedo.

"The test proved the core technology for raising the efficiency of propulsion and the performance of rocket propulsion devices," the KCNA said, adding more than 180 rounds of related tests have been conducted over the past five years.

Experts said the newly disclosed weapon system could be a "supercavitating torpedo" given the North's claims that rocket propulsion devices were fitted on the torpedo, and the term "super-speed" used to describe the new torpedo.

A supercavitating torpedo is an ultra-high-speed torpedo that creates an air bubble in the nose to overcome water resistance and travel at higher speeds than conventional torpedoes.

Other countries pursuing the development of such high-speed torpedoes have reportedly faced technical challenges in operational deployment, particularly in maintaining effective guidance and control at high speeds underwater.

"The test launch appears to have been intended to flaunt its super-speed AI-driven torpedo, which is difficult to detect in advance and avoid, targeting the South Korean Navy's major surface ships," said Lim Eul-chul, a professor of the Institute for Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University.

Shin Jong-woo, secretary-general of the Korea Defense and Security Forum, assessed that North Korea is developing new torpedoes to be mounted on submarines in line with the expansion of its new submarine capabilities.

"It is an attempt to narrow the gap in military capabilities with the South Korean Navy," he said.

North Korea has been pushing to strengthen its naval capabilities with weapon tests.

Pyongyang launched two types of strategic cruise missiles from what was presumed to be a 3,000-ton submarine in the East Sea on Wednesday. It also recently commissioned the 5,000-ton Choe Hyon and Kang Kon destroyers, respectively in the West Sea and the East Sea.

朝鲜周四进行了Zam-2.0高速精确制导鱼雷系统的水下试验。该国周六表示，此次试验采用了人工智能进行目标探测和制导，并称这是其海军能力的一次重大提升。过去五年中，朝鲜已进行了超过180次相关试验。专家表示，该系统可能是一种用于潜艇部署的超空泡鱼雷。

鱼雷的技术升级包括推进效率和火箭推进装置的性能。

朝鲜没有透露有关Zam-2.0系统的更多细节。

超空泡鱼雷在其头部周围形成气泡，以减少水阻并提高水下航行速度。

林乙哲表示，该系统可能以韩国海军主力水面舰艇为目标，因为它可能难以被发现和规避。

朝鲜最近分别在西海和东海服役了排水量为5000吨的“崔贤”号和“康坤”号驱逐舰。

发布于2026年10月17日上午9:26（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年10月17日下午12:18（韩国标准时间）

这张照片由朝鲜官方通讯社朝中社周四发布，显示朝鲜前一天从潜艇上发射了两种战略巡航导弹。（韩联社）

朝鲜周六表示，已对一种采用人工智能（AI）技术的新型高速精确制导鱼雷武器系统进行了水下试验，并指出此次试验预示着朝鲜海军能力将发生“重大”变化。

据朝中社报道，朝鲜周四试射了Zam-2.0超高速精确制导鱼雷武器系统，以验证该武器技术升级的成功。朝中社未透露该武器的更多细节。

据朝中社报道，负责监督此次武器试验的关键国防官员评估认为，此次试验“取得了巨大成功，预示着海军实际发展将发生重大变化”。

朝鲜方面表示，人工智能技术被应用于鱼雷的目标探测和制导功能。

朝中社称，“此次试验验证了提高推进效率和火箭推进装置性能的核心技术”，并补充说，过去五年中已进行了180多轮相关试验。

专家表示，鉴于朝鲜声称该鱼雷装有火箭推进装置，并且用“超高速”一词来描述这种新型鱼雷，新披露的武器系统可能是一种“超空泡鱼雷”。

超空泡鱼雷是一种超高速鱼雷，它在鱼雷头部产生气泡，以克服水阻力，从而以比传统鱼雷更高的速度航行。

据报道，其他致力于研发此类高速鱼雷的国家在作战部署方面面临技术挑战，尤其是在水下高速航行时保持有效的制导和控制。

庆南大学远东研究所教授林乙哲表示：“此次试射似乎是为了炫耀其超高速人工智能驱动鱼雷，这种鱼雷难以提前发现和躲避，目标是韩国海军的主要水面舰艇。”

韩国国防安全论坛秘书长申钟宇评估认为，朝鲜正在研发新型鱼雷，用于安装在潜艇上，以配合其新型潜艇能力的扩展。

他说：“这是为了缩小与韩国海军在军事能力上的差距。”

朝鲜一直在通过武器试验来加强其海军能力。

平壤周三在东海从一艘据信排水量为3000吨的潜艇上发射了两种战略巡航导弹。此外，朝鲜近期还在西海和东海分别服役了排水量为5000吨的“崔贤”号和“康坤”号驱逐舰。