Tel Aviv: North Korea has unveiled loitering weapon systems that resemble Israeli systems.
On August 26, 2024, North Korea revealed 2 types of loitering UAV systems – “Kamikaze UAV”. It was part of the country’s leader Kim Jong Un visit to the Drone Institute of the Academy of Defence Sciences on August 24.
DPRK authorities published heavily pixelled blurred photos of the systems.
According to an intelligence assessment made by two Israeli experts Yair Ramati and Tal Inbar, one system is small, tube launched while the second is a relatively large UAV. Both are equipped with presumably same gambled EO payload.
According to the experts, the new systems are very similar in appearance to Israeli systems – UVision’s “Hero 400” and IAI’s “Harop”, both are “man in the loop” strike systems.
The experts say that the one that resembles the Hero 400 is a Tube-launched loitering UAV. The launch tube is round, and the launch is conducted using gas generator that pushes the bird at high acceleration while ejecting the sabot. It is electrically powered. The loitering munition is using LOS data link to monitor it along the mission.
The other system according to the experts resembles the Israeli IAI manufactured “Harop”. This one uses a piston engine, and a small rejectable rocket booster for take-off.
The experts point to the fact that in the images the vehicle is launched from a crude launch platform. They add that operational systems will most probably be fit into a container and mounted on a truck. They assess that expected loitering time should be in the range of 6 to 10 hours.
Provided that DPRK presentation is a real and not fake, there are a few impacts: DPRK is mastering the required technologies for developing loitering munitions; However, they choose to mimic existing outer configurations.
These are not clones of either the Russian “Lancet 3” or the Iranian “Shahed 136”. The North Korean Harop clone – is not yet operational.
DPRK can produce quantities of such loitering systems and market it to different clients, globally. Such loitering systems are effective in reasonable ranges from the front if line-of-sight (LOS) is available.
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
