Choi Hyun. X @KPA_bot
North Korea conducted a series of weapon tests on its new multipurpose destroyer Choe Hyon, which was built in a record time of 400 days and officially launched on April 25, 2025, at the Nampo shipyard.
The vessel, with a displacement of 5,000 tons, was tested near the shipyard, demonstrating its ability to launch different types of missiles, including surface-to-air, cruise, and anti-ship missiles, as well as operate artillery systems such as a 127mm automatic cannon and anti-aircraft weapons.
The released images show missile launches from vertical launch cells located at the front and rear of the ship. Hwasal-2 missiles were also tested, stored in specific containers in the center of the vessel. The photos revealed that only the smaller diameter cells were used, likely intended for surface-to-air missiles, while the larger diameter cells, presumably reserved for medium-range ballistic missiles, showed no signs of use.
In addition to the weapons tests, the ship demonstrated the operation of countermeasure systems and a rotating radar station, which can be used for both fire control and missile guidance. The destroyer is equipped with 74 vertical launch cells, divided into two sizes, indicating a clear separation between defensive and offensive armaments.
The ship’s design was first detected in satellite images in May 2024.
Source: Militarnyi | Photo: X @KPA_bot | This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team
