North Korea once again showcased a new advancement in its military program by announcing that Kim Jong Un oversaw a ground test of a high-thrust solid-fuel engine built from carbon fiber composite material.
According to KCNAthe test is part of the regime’s current five-year defense plan, which foresees the continuous strengthening of the so-called “means of strategic attack”.
According to the official version released by Pyongyang on March 29, the upgraded engine achieved maximum thrust of 2,500 kilonewtons.
The state agency presented the test as a milestone in the modernization of North Korean strategic forces and highlighted that Kim classified the result as important for increasing the country’s military power. KCNA, however, has not publicly reported details such as the exact location of the test, duration of the burn or complete technical parameters of the system.
The announcement reinforces Pyongyang’s emphasis on solid fuel engines, a technology considered relevant because it allows greater mobility, shorter preparation time for launch and more difficulty in detection compared to liquid fuel-powered systems.
Kim Jong Un follows a test of a missile engine made from carbon fiber. Photo: KCNASAccording to AP, the new test represents an improvement over a similar assessment released in September 2025, when North Korea had announced an engine of around 1,970 kN. At the time, observers expected a test of a new intercontinental ballistic missile, something that has not yet materialized, which led analysts to raise doubts about the program’s real pace of maturation.
Despite KCNA’s triumphalist tone, experts say the regime may be exaggerating the scope of technological advancement, as essential information has not been disclosed. Among the points mentioned are precisely the absence of the total combustion time and the lack of independent elements that allow checking the effective performance of the engine.
The new disclosure is part of a series of military announcements made by Pyongyang in recent days, including armored demonstrations and special forces training inspections.
For regional analysts, the set of these actions shows that North Korea seeks to simultaneously project conventional strength and strategic capacity, while maintaining the discourse of accelerating military modernization.
Source and images: KCNA. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
