Haeil
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Overview
North Korean underwater attack drone that Pyongyang says can carry a nuclear warhead to trigger a 'radioactive tsunami'.
Haeil, Korean for 'tsunami', is an underwater attack drone that North Korea says can carry a nuclear warhead into enemy harbours or towards carrier groups and detonate it to raise a radioactive tsunami. It was first disclosed in March 2023, and a vehicle identified as Haeil-2 appeared in a Pyongyang military parade in July 2023. State media claim underwater runs of up to about 1,000 km lasting nearly three days, launched from the coast or towed into position by a ship, with test warheads detonated at the end. Outside analysts see it as a large, slow, battery-powered torpedo and treat the claims with caution, and South Korea says its abilities are exaggerated.
Primary Roles
Notes
Figures come from North Korean state media and are unverified. In March 2023 a Haeil reportedly cruised at 80-150 m depth for about 59 hours before detonating a test warhead; in April 2023 Haeil-2 reportedly ran about 1,000 km in 71 h 6 min. A further test was announced in January 2024. South Korean-sourced descriptions put it at about 13 m long and 1.5 m in diameter. South Korea's military says the capabilities are exaggerated, and it is unclear whether North Korea can fit a warhead to it.
