South Korea first released real images of the Hycore Hypersonic Cruise missile, highlighting its launch potential from ships, submarines, aircraft and land platforms.
Developed since 2018 by Defense Development Agency (Add) in partnership with HanwhaHycore has estimated dimensions of 8.7 meters long, 2.4 tons and can reach speeds of up to Mach 6.2. The project uses a two -stage rocket to accelerate the missile before activating the Scramjet engine, allowing it to “flatter” on shock waves and keep high speed with reduced drag.
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The missile is part of a wider effort of Seoul to modernize its arsenal and respond to the growing threats of North Korea, which develops its own hypersonic missiles and combat ships equipped with cruise missiles. Hycore can be integrated into the destroyers KDX-III Batch 2 through the system KVLS-IIto submarines KSS-III with vertical launch cells, and possibly the fighters KF-21 or F-15Kincreasing Standff’s attacking capacity against strongly defended targets.
In addition to its strategic role in the Korean peninsula, the development of hycore reflects broader regional security concerns, including the advancement of China’s hypersonic capabilities.
South Korea thus seeks significantly greater impact weapons capable of offering rapid response and accuracy against sophisticated threats, consolidating Hycore as a key element of the country’s military modernization.
Source: The War Zone | Photo: x @mason_8718 | This content was created with the help of AI and revised by the editorial team
Breaking news. South Korea has unveiled the Hycore hypersonic cruise vehicle launch. In 2024, it achieved Mach 6. Extremely advanced technologies were used, and anti-ship ability will be applied. land, air, and naval based variants are being prepared. The air-launched (KF-21)… pic.twitter.com/zkb6l85Yjb
— Mason Yonghak (@mason_8718) September 4, 2025
