North Korea builds new class of fast gunboats at Nampo shipyard

Commercial satellite imagery indicates that North Korea has built at least three identical fast gunboats at Nampo Shipyard and may have three more in different stages of construction. Janes estimates each narrow-beam vessel at about 36 metres, with a sharply raked bow and a large-calibre gun mount on the forecastle. Their compact dimensions and apparent configuration point to coastal or littoral patrol and attack tasks rather than blue-water operations. Pyongyang has not announced the class, armament, propulsion, speed or production total, so both the vessels' mission and readiness remain analytical assessments based on imagery rather than confirmed official specifications.