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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered the mass production of explosive “suicide” drones after overseeing successful tests.

What’s the deal: According to North Korea’s state media, Kim Jong Un oversaw the testing of explosive drones that successfully destroyed a BMW sedan and older tank models. KCNA reported that Kim was impressed with the drones’ performance and ordered their mass production.

KCNA quoted Kim saying, “The competition for using UAVs as the main means of military capabilities by introducing innovative technology is being accelerated in the world. It is easy to use them as a component of striking power in a new domain for their ever-expanding range of use in military activities, low production cost and simple production lines. The military authorities in the world might have recognized that the UAVs are achieving clear successes in big and small conflicts. This is a current trend that has emerged as an essential requirement in military aspects. Such an objective change poses a pressing need to update many parts of military theory, practice, and education and keenly calls upon the fields of defense science and education to take prompt, practical actions and redouble their efforts.”

The evolution of drone warfare: This development comes as drones have played a crucial role in the war in Ukraine, serving both offensive and defensive purposes. Russia has leaned heavily on attack drones like the Lancet and Iran-designed Shahed to strike Ukrainian military positions and critical infrastructure, causing substantial problems for Ukraine. Meanwhile, Ukraine has extensively used drones for reconnaissance, precision strikes, and even psychological operations to counter Russia’s military efforts.

One of the main reasons drones are increasingly used in modern warfare is their ability to deliver high-impact results at a fraction of the cost of traditional military equipment. These low-cost yet highly effective weapons can destroy expensive targets, such as tanks, armored vehicles, and infrastructure, with minimal financial investment. Their affordability enables mass production and deployment, allowing militaries to overwhelm adversaries with superior numbers.