Choe Hyon-class destroyer
Definition
A class of large guided-missile destroyers (DDGHM) operated by the Korean People's Navy (KPN) of North Korea.
Named after North Korean general and politician Choe Hyon (1907–1982), these approximately 5,000-tonne warships are the largest and most advanced surface combatants in the KPN fleet, equipped with strategic cruise missiles ranging up to 2,500 km.
The lead ship, Choe Hyon (hull number 51), was launched in April 2025 and has since conducted operational tests, including sea-to-surface missile firings overseen by Kim Jong Un.
Examples
The Choe Hyon-class destroyer slipped into the spotlight with a missile salvo that turned heads from Pyongyang to the Pacific.
Satellite sleuths caught the Choe Hyon-class destroyer flexing its 5,000-tonne frame during secretive sea trials.
North Korea's Choe Hyon-class destroyer is the naval equivalent of showing up to the party with the biggest yacht.
As the third Choe Hyon-class destroyer takes shape in the shipyard, whispers of a beefed-up fleet echo across the waves.
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