The South Korean navy received a new 3,000-ton submarine for “covert” underwater missions and preemptive strikes in a handover ceremony on Thursday, according to Seoul’s defense ministry, describing the vessel as a core asset in the country’s Kill Chain system for defending against North Korean threats.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said that the South Korean government and defense firms “independently” developed the ROKS Ahn Mu armed with submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) for precision attacks.

“Its combat performance, operational sustainability, covertness and survivability were greatly enhanced compared to submarines currently in operation,” DAPA states in a press release.