First spotted in satellite imagery in June, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has officially showcased its latest high-tech, cookie-cutter-looking US drones, The Drive reports. Externally nye-on indistinguishable from existing US Northrop Grumman RQ-4 “Hawk” and MQ-9 “Reaper” unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), it is currently unclear how capable these new North Korean examples are. Along with footage from North Korea’s Weapons and Equipment Exhibition 2023 in Pyongyang, state media has also released footage of the drones in flight.
Cooker-cutter drones
While no official North Korean designation is yet known, the drones are being informally called “Global Hawk-type” and “Reaper-type” by military analysts. Yesterday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu attended an exhibition where the two drones were officially unveiled. Shoigu was in Pyongyang to strengthen military cooperation between their two countries and acquire more North Korean-made weapons for use in Russia’s conflict in Ukraine.
