Latest / Defence and security

IncidentDefenceNorth KoreaConfirmed

North Korea says it tested a torpedo that uses AI for target detection and guidance

See how this story connects

North Korea’s state news agency KCNA reported on 17 October 2026 that the country had test-fired a new precision-guided torpedo system, the Zam-2.0, underwater on 15 October, calling it a success and a step in its naval development. KCNA said AI was applied to target detection and guidance, and that the test confirmed propulsion technology developed through more than 180 rounds of tests over five years, according to Reuters and AFP reports.

Why it matters

North Korea now claims AI guidance in a naval weapon as well as in the missile it announced earlier in 2026.

When
17 Oct 2026
ID
WTA-N-2026-0318
Where
North Korea
Who
KCNA, Korean People’s Army
System
AI-guided torpedo
Operator
North Korean military
Type
weapon test
Status
claimed success; disclosed by KCNA (state media) · Incident ledger

Summary by wheresthe.ai, from Reuters via South China Morning Post and the reporting credited above. Checked against the source on 17 Oct 2026.

Source copy: download the page text as saved on 18 Oct 2026 (PDF). Also held by the Internet Archive.

Cite this story

WTA-N-2026-0318: “North Korea says it tested a torpedo that uses AI for target detection and guidance.” wheresthe.ai, 17 Oct 2026. https://wheresthe.ai/d/kp-ai-guided-torpedo-test-2026-10/ (source: Reuters via South China Morning Post).

Spotted an error? Email [email protected].