Naval Systems

Choe Hyon destroyer

The Choe Hyon is North Korea's first 5,000-tonne destroyer, commissioned at Nampho as a multi-mission warship promoted for cruise-missile, anti-ship, and anti-aircraft roles.

Choe Hyon destroyer, Guided-missile destroyer, Naval Systems
Image source: Al Jazeera gallery: North Korea commissions warship as Kim eyes nuclear navy
Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
North Korea
Type
Guided-missile destroyer
Service note
Commissioned in 2026
Designed
2024-2025
Produced
2024-2026
Number built
1 commissioned

Specifications

Displacement
5,000 tonnes
Builder
Nampho Shipyard
Commissioned
23 June 2026
Launched
25 April 2025
Hull number
51
Role
Multi-mission destroyer
Variants
  • Choe Hyon-class destroyer
Main Gun

The destroyer was publicly shown firing its 127 mm main gun during April 2025 test activity.

AmmunitionAmmunition typeFiring evidence
127 mm shipboard automatic gun, 127 mm naval gun, Artillery127 mm shipboard automatic gun127 mm naval gun

Naval News captioned a test image as Choe Hyon firing the 127 mm main gun during the ship's April 2025 weapons testing.

Sources: CSIS: North Korea Launches the Choe Hyon Guided Missile Destroyer, Naval News: Heavily Armed Missile Destroyer Joins North Korean Navy, The Maritime Executive: North Korea Vows to Build Third Destroyer in Next 14 Months

Carried Munitions
Carried itemItem typeCarriage evidence
Ballistic missile, Ballistic missile, ArtilleryBallistic missileBallistic missile

AP described the Choe Hyon as equipped with ballistic missiles during its commissioning coverage.

Sources: AP News: North Korea's Kim claims progress on nuclear-armed navy as new warship is placed into service

Missile Launches

The destroyer has also been documented firing anti-ship missiles during weapons trials.

Launched itemItem typeLaunch evidence
Cruise missile, Cruise missile, MunitionsCruise missileCruise missile

AP and Al Jazeera described the Choe Hyon as carrying or launching cruise missiles during commissioning coverage, with Al Jazeera specifically noting ship-launched cruise missiles.

Sources: AP News: North Korea's Kim claims progress on nuclear-armed navy as new warship is placed into service, Al Jazeera gallery: North Korea commissions warship as Kim eyes nuclear navy

Anti-ship cruise missile, Anti-ship cruise missile, MunitionsAnti-ship cruise missileAnti-ship cruise missile

USNI reported that the Choe Hyon test-launched anti-ship missiles during its April 2026 weapons trials.

Sources: USNI News: North Korea Test Launches Anti-ship, Cruise Missiles from First-in-class Destroyer

Launched Munitions

CSIS described the Choe Hyon's April 2025 test activity as including anti-aircraft missile launches from the ship.

MunitionTypeEvidence
Anti-aircraft missiles, Ship-launched surface-to-air missile, MunitionsAnti-aircraft missilesShip-launched anti-aircraft missileReported to have been launched from the Choe Hyon during 28 April 2025 test activity.
Timeline

Choe Hyon destroyer Key Events

  1. Launched

    The first Choe Hyon destroyer was launched at Nampho Shipyard.

    Sources: USNI News: North Korea Commissions First-in-class Destroyer Choe Hyon

  2. Sea trials and weapons tests

    The ship conducted cruise-missile and anti-ship missile test activity before commissioning.

    Sources: USNI News: North Korean Destroyer Tests Strategic Cruise Missile, USNI News: North Korea Test Launches Anti-ship, Cruise Missiles from First-in-class Destroyer

  3. Commissioned

    The destroyer entered North Korean naval service in a commissioning ceremony at Nampho.

    Sources: AP News: North Korea's Kim claims progress on nuclear-armed navy as new warship is placed into service, Al Jazeera gallery: North Korea commissions warship as Kim eyes nuclear navy

Documented Features
FeatureEvidence
RoleNorth Korea's first 5,000-tonne destroyer, presented as a multi-mission warship
Base portNampho
Primary emphasisShip-launched cruise missiles, anti-ship weapons, and anti-aircraft weapons
Class statusFirst-in-class vessel for a new destroyer line
Media

Choe Hyon destroyer Videos

Choe Hyon destroyer Images

Choe Hyon destroyer, Guided-missile destroyer, Naval Systems - view 1
Source: Al Jazeera gallery: North Korea commissions warship as Kim eyes nuclear navy
Related Weapon Systems
Kang Kon destroyer, Guided-missile destroyer, Naval SystemsNaval SystemsKang Kon destroyerGuided-missile destroyerKang Kon is North Korea's second Choe Hyon-class guided-missile destroyer, a 5,000-ton warship built at Chongjin, damaged during its first launch attempt, repaired and relaunched at Najin/Rajin, and then observed during June 2026 navigation trials. Open-source reporting treats the hull as a pending Korean People's Navy surface combatant rather than a combat-proven warship, with its final weapons integration and acceptance status still dependent on North Korean state reporting.
Anti-aircraft missiles, Ship-launched surface-to-air missile, MunitionsMunitionsAnti-aircraft missilesShip-launched surface-to-air missileShip-launched surface-to-air missiles documented in the Choe Hyon destroyer's air-defense fit. CSIS identifies the destroyer's air-defense system as Russian Pantsir-M and reports anti-aircraft missile launches during the 28 April 2025 test activity, while Naval News separately notes an unspecified forward VLS-launched SAM and a Pantsir-M-style close-in weapon system with short-range missiles. The exact North Korean missile designation remains publicly unconfirmed.
Pantsir-M, Naval missile-gun close-in air-defense system, Air DefenseAir DefensePantsir-MNaval missile-gun close-in air-defense systemPantsir-M is the Russian naval member of the Pantsir missile-gun air-defense family, combining ready-to-fire surface-to-air missiles, a rapid-fire gun mount, radar, and optical fire control for ship self-defense against cruise missiles, UAVs, aircraft, and other air threats. Open reporting ties the system to Project 22800 Karakurt-class ships, North Korea's Choe Hyon destroyer, and a Russian claim of Storm Shadow engagements during the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War.

Related News

Sources

CSIS: North Korea Launches the Choe Hyon Guided Missile DestroyerPublisher: Center for Strategic and International Studies | Note: Supports the Choe Hyon being armed with a 127 mm main gun and the April 2025 weapons-test context. | Accessed: 2026-06-27Al Jazeera gallery: North Korea commissions warship as Kim eyes nuclear navyPublisher: Al Jazeera | Note: Supports the Choe Hyon commissioning, 5,000-tonne displacement, Nampho context, ship-launched cruise missiles, anti-aircraft and anti-ship weapons, and image provenance. | Accessed: 2026-06-26AP News: North Korea's Kim claims progress on nuclear-armed navy as new warship is placed into servicePublisher: Associated Press | Note: Supports the Choe Hyon commissioning, 5,000-ton destroyer description, Nampho service context, and the reported missile and weapons fit. | Accessed: 2026-06-26Al Jazeera gallery: North Korea commissions warship as Kim eyes nuclear navyPublisher: Al Jazeera | Note: Supports the Choe Hyon commissioning coverage and the ship-launched cruise-missile context. | Accessed: 2026-06-28USNI News: North Korea Commissions First-in-class Destroyer Choe HyonPublisher: USNI News | Note: Supports Nampho Shipyard as builder and the April 25, 2025 launch date. | Accessed: 2026-06-26Naval News: Heavily Armed Missile Destroyer Joins North Korean NavyPublisher: Naval News | Note: Supports the April 2025 weapons testing context and the 127 mm main gun firing image. | Accessed: 2026-06-27The Maritime Executive: North Korea Vows to Build Third Destroyer in Next 14 MonthsPublisher: The Maritime Executive | Note: Supports the Choe Hyon's 127 mm main gun firing-test context. | Accessed: 2026-06-27USNI News: North Korea Test Launches Anti-ship, Cruise Missiles from First-in-class DestroyerPublisher: USNI News | Note: Supports the Choe Hyon test-launching anti-ship missiles during April 2026 weapons trials and the reciprocal launch relationship to anti-ship missiles. | Accessed: 2026-06-27