New North Korean Missile Destroyer Equipped With Russian Weapons

Russian weapons systems have been spotted on North Korea’s latest missile destroyer, including an air defense system and what appear to be anti-submarine missiles.

The findings were noted by North Korean military observer Tarao Goo @NK Watcher on his X account.

Among the armaments, Goo identified a missile resembling the Russian 91RE1 anti-submarine missile based on its visual characteristics.

However, due to the angle of the photos, a definitive identification was not possible. It remains possible that the missile is a previously unknown North Korean development.

The Russian 91RE1 missile, part of the Otvet anti-submarine system, is launched from 533 mm torpedo tubes — such tubes are visible on the new destroyer.

Therefore, it is possible the missile is indeed part of the ship’s arsenal or that of a new North Korean nuclear submarine.
While a definitive identification cannot be made, the missile’s concept appears to be borrowed from the Russian model.
Photographs also clearly show the Russian Pantsir-M or Pantsir-ME shipborne air defense system mounted at the destroyer’s stern.

New North Korean Destroyer

North Korea recently held a launching ceremony for its first new-generation multi-purpose missile destroyer. The event took place on April 25, 2025, at a shipyard in Nampo, where the vessel was built.

The construction process lasted a record 400 days, reflecting an intensification of North Korea’s naval modernization efforts.

The new destroyer is officially classified as a 5,000-ton multi-purpose vessel with an expanded missile arsenal.

A key feature of the ship is the presence of two types of vertical launch systems: larger cells for long-range strike missiles and smaller ones for air defense missiles, totaling 74 launch cells.

An inspection of the destroyer’s armament revealed a 127 mm automatic naval gun for engaging surface and coastal targets. For close-range defense, the ship is equipped with an anti-aircraft artillery system resembling the Soviet AK-230 and AK-360 systems, alongside the Russian Pantsir-ME.

Twin 533 mm torpedo tubes are installed on both sides of the vessel, partially concealed by radar-absorbing structures.
The ship’s sensor and radar suite includes four panel antennas, likely based on active phased array radar technology.

Additional radar antennas at the bow and stern, possibly used for anti-aircraft missile guidance, suggest an air defense approach similar to the Russian Tor system, which uses radio-command guidance.

Finally, it is worth noting that unknown electronic warfare systems are also mounted near the ship’s main antenna masts.

Pantsir-M

The Pantsir-M is a Russian shipborne missile and gun air defense system designed to defend surface vessels against modern air threats, including low-flying and small unmanned aerial vehicles. It is based on the land-based Pantsir-S system.

The complex has a modular structure, including a command module and up to four combat modules, which are placed depending on the class and layout of the ship.

The modular system includes a command module and up to four combat modules, configured based on the ship’s design.

Each combat module features two six-barreled 30 mm automatic cannons, eight launch tubes for surface-to-air missiles, guidance drives, and a radar-optical control system.

The missile engagement range is up to 20 km, with a maximum interception altitude of 15 km. The artillery system is effective up to 4 km.

91RE1 Missile

The 91RE1 is a Russian anti-submarine missile designed to engage modern submarines — including nuclear attack submarines — at various depths and positions.

The missile measures 7.65 meters in length, 533 mm in diameter, and weighs about 2,050 kg. Its warhead is either a high-speed self-guided APR-3ME torpedo or a small MPT-1UME torpedo.

It can be launched from depths between 20 and 150 meters while the submarine is traveling at speeds up to 15 knots. The missile’s range is 5 to 50 km when launched from a depth of 20–50 meters and up to 35 km from 150 meters.

Pre-launch preparation takes about 10 seconds. Up to four missiles can be launched in a salvo against a single target.

After launch, a solid-fuel booster propels the missile from underwater to altitude. The booster then separates, and the second stage continues along a controlled trajectory to the target area, guided by an inertial navigation system.