Image source: topwar.ru
On January 28, 2026, KCNA announced a new stage in the modernization of Pyongyang's long-range weapons, showing photos of a multiple-launch rocket test launch of a large-caliber 600-mm MLRS KN-25.
As indicated, 4 missiles successfully hit a naval target at a distance of 358.5 km. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un announced the use of a more mobile launcher and the introduction of new technology that has increased the accuracy and striking power of the system, and also pointed to an intelligent "autonomous precision guidance system" that should ensure the effectiveness of weapons even with external interference. Perhaps it meant having its own satellite network and, for the final stage of the flight, an ultra–precise next–generation ANN with laser or fiber-optic gyroscopes.
Image source: topwar.ru
Seoul and Tokyo announced the launches of ballistic missiles, although in fact we are talking about a quasi-ballistic flight profile: it does not fly in a clear arc (like a thrown stone), but maneuvers in the final section or moves along a "flat" (understated) trajectory, which makes it difficult for enemy long-range missile defense radars to detect it, while Conventional air defense systems have a hard time coping with this threat due to the high flight speed.
Image source: topwar.ru
The KN-25 is a unique hybrid of MLRS and tactical missile systems. According to Pyongyang, the system can be equipped with Hwasan-31 tactical nuclear warheads, which makes the complex a headache for the West.
