North Korea says tested AI-assisted torpedo system

An AI-assisted, precision-guided torpedo is an underwater weapon designed to find and strike an enemy target with greater accuracy. Artificial intelligence is reportedly used for target detection and guidance, rather than relying only on preset instructions or external control. That matters because underwater targets can be difficult to track and defend against.

North Korea said it tested its new-type Zam-2.0 system underwater on Thursday. The Korean Central News Agency described it as a “super-speed” torpedo and said the test confirmed successful technical updating. The reported upgrades involved propulsion efficiency and a rocket propulsion device.

The claim remains North Korea’s reported account of the test. The article gives no independent confirmation of the system’s actual performance. It does report that North Korea conducted more than 180 different tests over five years, while analysts say the country may still need to reduce the torpedo’s underwater noise.

The reported AI functions are target detection and guidance. In simple terms, the system is intended to help the torpedo recognize what it should attack and steer toward it. This could make the weapon more autonomous and less dependent on a human operator during its underwater run.

The article gives a practical example involving decoys. South Korea and the United States deploy decoy targets to divert torpedoes. AI could potentially help the weapon distinguish a genuine target from a false one. Analysts also say it might support evasive manoeuvres and autonomous decisions designed to confuse an adversary.

These capabilities are presented as possibilities, not independently verified results. North Korea said AI technology was applied to the Zam-2.0’s detection and guidance functions. Its leader Kim Jong Un had also emphasised raising the level of AI in the country’s weapons systems. The article does not establish how reliably the system performs.

North Korea reported an extensive testing programme, saying it completed more than 180 rounds of different tests over the past five years. The statement was linked to the Zam-2.0 torpedo’s technical updating, especially its propulsion and rocket propulsion device. That figure is a North Korean claim and is not independently verified in the article.

The torpedo itself is called “super-speed,” but no exact speed is provided. The article does give a numerical definition for hypersonic missiles: they travel at more than five times the speed of sound. That figure applies to the missile discussion, not necessarily to the torpedo. Keeping the two systems separate avoids treating an unspecified torpedo speed as hypersonic.

The testing comes amid broader weapons development. North Korea also announced an AI-assisted intermediate-range hypersonic missile and earlier reported submarine-launched cruise missiles. Analysts believe Pyongyang is advancing several weapons programmes, though they also say the torpedo may still need better noise reduction.

If a torpedo could reliably identify real targets, reject decoys, and manoeuvre independently, defending against it could become more difficult. A defender could not rely as confidently on sending out false targets to draw the weapon away. Autonomous decisions might also let the torpedo adjust its path instead of following a predictable route.

The article gives the example of South Korea and the United States deploying decoys to divert torpedoes. Lim Eul-chul said AI could potentially help distinguish real targets from those decoys. Analysts also suggested that AI might allow evasive manoeuvres and decisions intended to confuse an adversary. Together, those functions could make conventional countermeasures less effective.

The consequences remain conditional because the article does not confirm that North Korea’s system can perform these tasks reliably. Yang Moo-jin also said the torpedo may need more development, especially to reduce underwater noise. A noisy, fast torpedo could still be easier to detect before reaching its target.

South Korea is testing hypersonic weapons because the article places Seoul’s programme inside an intensifying arms race with North Korea. Hypersonic missiles travel at more than five times the speed of sound and can manoeuvre during flight. Those features make them significantly harder to track and intercept, giving them important military value.

Days after North Korea announced an AI-assisted intermediate-range hypersonic missile, Seoul test-fired a hypersonic glide vehicle. South Korea called it a key strategic asset capable of changing the battlefield. North Korea questioned whether the test achieved hypersonic flight, but South Korea rejected that claim. The article does not report a separate US hypersonic test.

The United States is involved in the wider security competition as South Korea’s ally. North Korea portrays Seoul’s programme as part of a contest against Washington’s ally and seeks to present itself as ahead. The article also reports that US and South Korean forces use decoy targets against torpedoes, adding to the broader military rivalry.

The article links North Korea’s possible weapons progress to military cooperation with Russia. Analysts say Pyongyang could be rapidly advancing its missile and weapons technology with support received from Moscow. They connect that support to North Korea sending troops to support Russia’s war against Ukraine.

The reported assistance could matter because weapons programmes require technical knowledge, testing capacity, and improvements across propulsion, guidance, and missile design. The article does not specify which Russian technologies, equipment, or expertise may have been provided. It therefore establishes a possible exchange, rather than identifying a confirmed contribution to the Zam-2.0 system.

This possibility forms part of the wider concern around North Korea’s testing activity. Pyongyang has announced AI-assisted hypersonic missiles, submarine-launched cruise missiles, and the AI-assisted torpedo. At the same time, analysts caution that important challenges remain, including the noise produced by a fast torpedo underwater.

A torpedo moving quickly underwater disturbs more water and creates stronger pressure changes around its body. Its propulsion system also churns the water. That movement produces underwater noise, much as a faster-moving object generally creates more disturbance than a slower one. The article identifies this noise as a major technical problem for North Korea.

Sonar can listen for sound travelling through water. When a torpedo’s propulsion and movement generate detectable noise, sonar systems may use that signal to identify or locate it. This can give defenders an opportunity to track the weapon and attempt countermeasures. The article does not describe a specific sonar system or detection range.

Yang Moo-jin said that a high-speed torpedo generates significant noise, making it easier to detect. He also said reducing that noise requires advanced technology and that North Korea did not yet appear to have reached that level. This limitation could reduce the effectiveness of the reported weapon.