Seoul, South Korea
CNN
—
North Korea on Friday claimed to have examined an underwater drone able to carrying a nuclear warhead that would create a “radioactive tsunami,” nevertheless, analysts urged skepticism noting a scarcity of proof.
A report from the state-run Korean Central Information Company (KCNA) mentioned the drone, referred to as the “Unmanned Underwater Nuclear Assault Craft ‘Haeil,’” was examined from March 21 to 23, cruising in waters off the nation’s east coast for greater than 59 hours earlier than its take a look at warhead was detonated on Thursday afternoon.
“The mission of the underwater nuclear strategic weapon is to stealthily infiltrate into operational waters and make a super-scale radioactive tsunami by means of underwater explosion to destroy naval striker teams and main operational ports of the enemy,” the KCNA report mentioned.
The KCNA report mentioned the weapon has been in improvement since 2012 and has undergone greater than 50 exams up to now two years.
This week’s take a look at “verified its reliability and security and absolutely confirmed its deadly strike functionality,” the KCNA report mentioned, including the drone may be deployed from any port or towed by a floor ship to start its operations.
Analysts poured doubt on North Korea’s claims, noting that North Korea has beforehand exaggerated its capabilities and deployment time traces.
“Pyongyang’s newest declare to have a nuclear-capable underwater drone ought to be met with skepticism” as a result of North Korea supplied no proof, mentioned Leif-Eric Easley, affiliate professor of worldwide research at Ewha Womans College in Seoul.
In March 2022, North Korea launched footage of what it claimed was a brand new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that was later discredited by specialists.
Writing on social media Friday, Ankit Panda, a nuclear coverage professional on the Carnegie Endowment for Worldwide Peace, mentioned: “I are inclined to take North Korea severely, however can’t rule out the likelihood that that is an try at deception.”
He added that it could be “ill-advised” to allocate restricted fissile materials for a warhead in an underwater drone, versus a extra “road-mobile” ballistic missiles.
However the thought of an unmanned submersible carrying a nuclear warhead shouldn’t be distinctive to North Korea.
Russia claims to have developed the Poseidon torpedo, a submarine-launched, nuclear-powered unmanned underwater car able to carrying each standard and nuclear munitions. Its nuclear propulsion system would give the Poseidon just about limitless vary.
However Russia has supplied no proof of a profitable take a look at of the Poseidon and analysts suspect it may very well be years from deployment.
North Korea’s purported new underwater weapon has essential variations from the Poseidon.
It’s conventionally powered and isn’t launched from a sub, which means it could not be on a par with the Russian torpedo, the analysts mentioned.
North Korea’s drone take a look at declare comes on the similar time Pyongyang mentioned it examined nuclear-capable cruise missiles this week.
4 of the subsonic missiles hit targets within the East Sea, also referred to as the Sea of Japan, after flying oval and figure-8 patterns of 1,500 and 1,800 kilometers (932 and 1,118 miles) on Wednesday, KCNA reported.
Wednesday’s drill “let strategic cruise missile models get acquainted with the procedures and processes for finishing up the tactical nuclear assault missions,” the report mentioned.
The state-run Rodong Sinmun launched a sequence of images on its web site purportedly displaying the cruise missiles and the underwater drone.
The KCNA report mentioned Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons improvement was essential to counter “the reckless navy provocations being escalated by the U.S. and the South Korean authorities.”
US and South Korean forces have been holding their greatest struggle video games in 5 years on the southern a part of the Korean Peninsula.
North Korea has been testing numerous missiles on the similar time, together with the take a look at of an intercontinental ballistic missile final week and the exams of smaller vary missiles just like the cruise missiles examined on Wednesday.
Analysts say Pyongyang is delivering a message to the US and its allies within the area.
“North Korea’s ICBM exams are thinly veiled threats that it may probably destroy American cities,” Easley mentioned. “Its latest short-range missile firings try to extend the credibility, command, and management of its self-proclaimed tactical nuclear weapons models geared toward South Korea and Japan.”
