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North Korea Copies Israeli Harop Drone, Debuts New Suicide Drone Launcher
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
North Korea has unveiled a new mobile launcher system designed to deploy domestically produced loitering munitions modeled after Israel’s Harop drone, according to Militarnyi citing photos released by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on October 11.
The new launcher, shown during a military parade in Pyongyang, is mounted on a three-axle truck and carries six drones ready for launch.
KCNA published several close-up images of the system, which closely resembles Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) Harop—a loitering munition capable of striking radar and command posts with high precision.
Analysts who reviewed the photographs noted that the airframe and layout of North Korea’s drones are almost identical to the Israeli design. This suggests Pyongyang may have studied the Harop extensively when developing its own variant.
According to Militarnyi, intelligence analysts believe North Korea could have obtained technical data on the Harop through cyber operations.
Israel’s Ministry of Defense previously reported attempts by North Korean-linked hacking groups to infiltrate Israeli defense companies in 2020. Although those attacks were officially repelled, independent researchers later suggested that some breaches might have succeeded.
Given these past incidents, experts do not rule out that Pyongyang’s engineers had access to stolen design documentation when creating their version of the system.
The original IAI Harop loitering munition can fly up to 200 kilometers, operate for six hours, and reach altitudes of about 5,000 meters. It carries a 16-kilogram warhead and is powered by a British-made AR731 rotary engine.
While the North Korean copy outwardly replicates the Harop, it remains unclear whether it matches the same performance and reliability standards.
Earlier in October, North Korea unveiled a new wheeled combat vehicle modeled after the US Stryker, featuring a redesigned hull, full-scale turret, and upgraded armor. While based on a Soviet-style chassis, the vehicle marks Pyongyang’s latest attempt to replicate Western armored platforms.
