This photo shows a North Korean airplane similar to the South Korean Air Force's airborne early warning and control aircraft, released by the Korean Central News Agency, March 27. Yonhap

North Korea on Thursday disclosed what appears to be an airborne early warning and control aircraft for the first time and said leader Kim Jong-un supervised tests of "suicide attack drones" equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) published photos of the airplane while reporting Kim supervised performance tests of drones with AI technology and a reconnaissance drone Tuesday and Wednesday.

Kim oversaw the tests while guiding defense science research projects of the Unmanned Aeronautical Technology Complex and the detective electronic warfare research group.

Photos showed Kim instructing military officials inside what appears to be an airborne early warning and control aircraft, similar to the Peace Eye, which is operated by the South Korean Air Force and produced by Boeing.

An airborne early warning system detects aircraft and vessels using radar, acting as "eyes in the sky."

The KCNA also released photos of the suicide drone test, showing the AI-powered drones successfully hitting ground targets, including a tank.

During the inspection, Kim "made an important evaluation of the military effectiveness and strategic value of the strategic reconnaissance drone with improved performance and the suicide attack drones with the introduction of new artificial intelligence," the KCNA said.

Kim stressed the unmanned equipment and AI fields should be "top-prioritized," emphasizing, "It is important to correctly shape the state long-term plan for promoting the rapid long-term development of them in keeping with the trend of modern warfare."

The report also said the tests "fully demonstrated ... the striking capability of suicide drones" for use in various tactical attack missions.

The surveillance aircraft unveiled Thursday appears to be Russia's Ilyushin Il-76 airlifter, topped with a radome — a weatherproof enclosure that protects radar antennas and conceals the electronic equipment.

Radars mounted on airborne early warning and control aircraft are bigger than those on other military jets and more efficient in detecting enemy activities across a wider range.

North Korea's state media only published the aircraft photos, without making any reference to it in its written reports, presumably because it was not developed through indigenous technology but apparently with overseas assistance.

This image, published by the Korean Central News Agency on March 27, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaking to officials aboard an airplane similar to the South Korean Air Force's airborne early warning and control aircraft. Yonhap

South Korea's military said further analysis is needed on the aircraft's utility.

"New assessment is required on the normal operations and utility of the modified early warning aircraft unveiled today," Col. Lee Sung-jun, spokesperson of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a briefing. "As you can see, it is very bulky and assessed to be vulnerable to interception."

When asked about possible Russian technological assistance for the aircraft, Lee said the military believes the plane's internal components and equipment are likely linked to Russia.

"The aircraft itself is a modification of (a plane) North Korea already possessed," he said.

North Korea has been scrambling to bolster its reconnaissance capabilities by developing and upgrading reconnaissance satellites and drones, an area where it lags far behind South Korea and its ally, the United States.

Kim had also overseen tests of suicide attack drones in August and November last year, emphasizing drone technology, a move apparently related to the Russia-Ukraine war, where drones are playing a major role.

North Korean troops are believed to be gaining real combat experience from the war, having deployed thousands of troops in support of the Russian side.

The KCNA also reported Kim expressed satisfaction with the "new electronic jamming and attack weapon systems" under production, quoting him as saying that the stages of the party's line of modernizing the army are being "qualitatively attained."

Kim presented "the scientific and practical orientation and ways" to accelerate the "qualitative and quantitative" transformation in the development and production of unmanned weapons and equipment, although the KCNA did not elaborate. (Yonhap)