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North Korea Claims Test of AI Torpedo, Hails Naval Advance

Stateline MEDIA Newsroom•October 17, 2026•2 min read

North Korea announced on Saturday (10/17/2026) the successful test of Zam-2.0, an AI-powered torpedo. KCNA hailed it as a major naval step; Seoul has not commented.

Key Facts

Korea Utara mengumumkan pada Sabtu (17/10/2026) bahwa pihaknya berhasil melakukan uji bawah air sistem torpedo baru bernama Zam-2.0, sebagaimana dilaporkan kantor berita negara KCNA.
Uji coba dilakukan pada Kamis untuk memverifikasi peningkatan teknologi torpedo tersebut, dan KCNA menyebutnya sebagai langkah signifikan dalam pengembangan angkatan laut Korea Utara.
Torpedo Zam-2.0 disebut sebagai torpedo presisi super-cepat yang menggunakan kecerdasan buatan (AI) untuk deteksi target dan pemanduan, meski KCNA tidak menjelaskan detail maksud AI tersebut.
KCNA menyatakan uji tersebut memverifikasi sistem propulsi senjata yang dikembangkan melalui lebih dari 180 uji coba selama lima tahun terakhir, dengan peningkatan efisiensi propulsi dan kinerja motor roket torpedo.
Uji torpedo ini merupakan yang terbaru dalam rangkaian demonstrasi senjata Korea Utara; sehari sebelumnya Pyongyang mengklaim telah menguji dua rudal jelajah strategis yang diluncurkan dari kapal selam pada Rabu.
Militer Korea Selatan, yang kerap menuduh Korea Utara melebih-lebihkan kemampuan teknologi militernya, belum memberikan komentar atas laporan KCNA tersebut.
Uji coba berlangsung di tengah ketegangan yang meningkat di Semenanjung Korea, ketika kedua Korea berlomba mengembangkan senjata yang mampu menghindari sistem pertahanan rudal.

Zam-2.0 Test Declared Successful

North Korea announced the successful underwater test of a new torpedo system on Saturday (10/17/2026). State news agency KCNA (Korean Central News Agency) reported that the test was conducted on Thursday to verify upgrades to torpedo technology.

The weapon, designated Zam-2.0, was described as a super-fast precision torpedo utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) for target detection and guidance. KCNA provided no further details explaining what AI entails in this claim.

According to KCNA, the test verified the torpedo's propulsion system, which was developed through more than 180 tests over the past five years. Pyongyang claimed improved propulsion efficiency and rocket motor performance, calling the outcome a significant step in the development of North Korea's navy.

Series of Weapons Demonstrations

The torpedo test is the latest in a series of North Korean weapons demonstrations in recent weeks. A day earlier, Pyongyang claimed to have tested two submarine-launched strategic cruise missiles on Wednesday to verify its naval mission capabilities.

Observers assess that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is now shifting focus toward naval capabilities after years of ballistic missile development, including the development of modern submarines designed to launch nuclear weapons.

Seoul Yet to Comment

South Korea's military, which frequently accuses North Korea of exaggerating its military technological capabilities, has not yet commented on the KCNA report.

The test took place amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula, as both Koreas race to develop weapons capable of evading each other's missile defense systems.