North Korea has unveiled a new destroyer equipped with an advanced missile system that will become the largest warship in its growing navy.

State media released images of Kim Jong-un, North Korea’s leader, inspecting the new ship at a facility that analysts believe was the Nampho Dockyard, on the west coast of the country.

The images of the unfinished vessel indicate that it will have a beam of around 50ft and is likely to be approximately 330ft from bow to stern. At more than 3,600 tonnes, it will be significantly larger than the 1,360-tonne frigate that is presently the largest in the North’s maritime armoury.

A picture of the bow also reveals an empty area directly in front of the main superstructure that is expected to house vertical launch missile systems capable of firing cruise or guided missiles.