North Korean leader Kim Jong Un personally oversaw the testing of advanced AI-driven suicide drones, underscoring his push for unmanned and artificial intelligence-based warfare as a cornerstone of modern military strategy, state media reported Thursday.
Kim also inspected upgraded reconnaissance drones designed to track tactical targets and enemy movements on both land and sea, according to the KCNA news agency. "The development of unmanned technology and artificial intelligence must be the highest priority in modernizing our armed forces," Kim was quoted as saying.
In a significant reveal, North Korea showcased an airborne early-warning (AEW) aircraft for the first time—a move that could enhance its outdated air defense infrastructure. Photos released by state media showed Kim boarding a large four-engine aircraft equipped with a radar dome, as well as observing the plane during a low-altitude flyover.
North Korea’s Airborne Surveillance Push
Analysts using commercial satellite imagery have long suspected Pyongyang was repurposing Russian-built Il-76 cargo planes for early-warning operations. A September report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) noted that such aircraft could improve North Korea’s ability to detect low-flying threats like cruise missiles, compensating for the limitations of its land-based radars due to the country’s mountainous landscape.
However, a single AEW aircraft may not be sufficient, and North Korea could be forced to repurpose more of its transport fleet to expand its airborne radar capabilities, the report suggested.
South Korea’s military remains skeptical about the plane’s operational effectiveness, stating that its size and weight likely make it vulnerable to interception. "While this aircraft has been refurbished from an existing model, there is a possibility that Russia provided support for its internal systems and components," said Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesperson Lee Sung-jun.
Russian-North Korean Military Cooperation
Russia has reportedly supplied North Korea with air-defense systems and missiles in exchange for North Korean troop deployments in Ukraine, according to South Korea’s National Security Adviser Shin Won-sik.
Meanwhile, Kim also inspected new electronic warfare and intelligence-gathering equipment, including devices for reconnaissance, signal disruption, and attack operations, KCNA reported. State media images depicted a fixed-wing drone striking a tank-shaped target and erupting into flames.
Additionally, Kim was photographed beside an unmanned surveillance drone resembling the U.S. RQ-4 Global Hawk, signaling Pyongyang’s ambitions to develop high-altitude reconnaissance capabilities.
Reports suggest that North Korean forces deployed in Ukraine have gained hands-on experience with drone warfare, which could further refine Pyongyang’s unmanned combat strategies.