North Korea once again showcased a new advancement in its military program by announcing that Kim Jong Un supervised a ground test of a high-thrust solid-fuel engine built with carbon fiber composite material.
According to KCNA, the test is part of the regime’s current five-year defense plan, which calls for the continued strengthening of so-called “strategic strike capabilities.”
According to the official version released by Pyongyang on March 29, the upgraded engine reached a maximum thrust of 2,500 kilonewtons.
The state agency presented the test as a milestone for the modernization of North Korea’s strategic forces and highlighted that Kim described the result as important for increasing the country’s military power. However, KCNA did not publicly disclose details such as the exact test location, burn duration, or the system’s full technical parameters.
The announcement reinforces Pyongyang’s emphasis on solid-fuel engines, a technology considered important because it enables greater mobility, shorter launch preparation time, and increased difficulty of detection compared to liquid-fueled systems.
Kim Jong Un oversees test of missile engine built with carbon fiber. Photo: KCNASAccording to AP, the new test represents an advance compared to a similar evaluation released in September 2025, when North Korea had announced an engine of about 1,970 kN. At the time, observers expected a test of a new intercontinental ballistic missile, something that has not yet materialized, leading analysts to raise questions about the actual pace of the program’s development.
Despite KCNA’s triumphant tone, experts say the regime may be overstating the extent of the technological advance, as essential information has not been disclosed. Among the points cited are the absence of total burn time and the lack of independent elements that would allow verification of the engine’s actual performance.
The new disclosure is part of a series of military announcements made by Pyongyang in recent days, including demonstrations of armored vehicles and inspections of special forces training.
For regional analysts, this set of actions shows that North Korea is seeking to project both conventional strength and strategic capability simultaneously, while maintaining a narrative of accelerating military modernization.
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Source and images: KCNA. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
