North Korea Revives Russia’s Forgotten Missile Project—and Gives It a Deadlier Upgrade

North Korea has unveiled a new missile system capable of striking targets up to 100 kilometers (62 miles) away, combining a rocket booster with a glide bomb in a design resembling Russia’s long-delayed Hermes missile project.

According to Defense Express on October 13, the previously unnamed system was displayed during a North Korean exhibition highlighting the country’s technological developments. Military equipment researcher Andrii Tarasenko drew attention to the weapon, which appears to incorporate several significant changes compared with its Russian counterpart.

One of the most notable differences is its ammunition. Unlike the Russian Hermes design, North Korea’s system reportedly uses a glide bomb as the second stage of its rocket, potentially allowing the weapon to travel toward its target after separating from the initial booster.

The launcher configuration also differs substantially. The North Korean system features 22 launch tubes, compared with six on the Russian Hermes launcher. Its reported range is 100 kilometers, while the Russian project was designed with longer-range configurations in mind.

The weapon is not entirely new. North Korea conducted its first publicly reported test launches of a similar system in May 2026, although its official designation and detailed technical specifications have not been disclosed.

Defense Express noted that the combination of a rocket booster and glide bomb resembles the concept behind the US-developed Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB), previously supplied to Ukraine.

The GLSDB uses a rocket motor to launch a precision-guided glide bomb from the ground, extending its reach beyond that of conventional air-dropped munitions. However, the system has faced operational challenges, and Defense Express reported that questions remain about whether its technical problems have been fully resolved.

The Russian Hermes project dates back to the 1990s and was intended to provide precision strikes against targets at extended ranges. Despite years of development and testing, the system has not entered widespread operational service, with the latest significant public updates dating to 2023.

According to Defense Express, North Korea’s newly displayed weapon may represent a further development of the original Russian concept rather than a direct copy. The outlet also noted that Moscow’s apparent decision not to pursue Hermes remains unexplained.

Earlier, in March 2025, North Korea unveiled its first airborne early warning and control aircraft, based on the Soviet-designed Il-76 and closely resembling Russia’s A-50 radar plane.

Pyongyang also showcased its Saetbyol-4 drone, which bears a striking resemblance to the US-made RQ-4 Global Hawk, raising questions about North Korea’s use of foreign military designs in developing its own weapons systems.

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