▲ A suicide drone approaches a vessel during anti-drone drills at a HD Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard in Ulsan, about 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Aug. 19, 2026. (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Aug. 25 (Yonhap) -- The Navy said Wednesday it was forced to abort a combat test of a suicide drone off the southern coast the previous day, following an unsuccessful launch of the unmanned vehicle.

The loitering munition had been set to launch from the 14,000-ton Marado amphibious assault ship and strike a target boat in waters near the southern port city of Busan, according to the Navy.

The drone took off from the ship deck but plunged into the sea shortly after the launch, it said.

The test run came as part of a combat trial designed to validate operational capabilities of the drone under development by the Agency for Defense Development (ADD).

The ADD is analyzing the drone to determine the exact cause of the failed launch.

The drone, featuring a 3-meter wingspan, is designed to simultaneously perform reconnaissance, surveillance and strike missions while remaining airborne for over 10 hours.

It is also equipped with anti-jamming technology to counter enemy electronic interference.

The Navy is pushing to acquire maritime suicide drones in phases and expand the deployment to a broader fleet, including next-generation landing ships and future unmanned carrier platforms.

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