Air Force of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. North Korean aviation What fighter aircraft are in service with the DPRK

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At the request of colleague sergey289121, as well as personally for colleague 20624, I am posting a review of the Air Force of Juche followers. Fortunately, everything here is much calmer than with the fleet; the Koreans themselves did not even try to build their own aircraft, purchasing them from China and the USSR. The DPRK Air Force is very numerous, mainly due to extremely outdated aircraft. Perhaps it would have been more effective to have 2-3 dozen aircraft adequate and suitable for the needs of a small country than this giant flying museum. In the past few years, the DPRK has tried to purchase aircraft from Russia and China, but was refused, both due to political differences and due to the DPRK's lack of funds for the purchase.

The list of aircraft below is total quantity aviation. No more than a third of each aircraft type is combat-ready.

1. The Air Guard consists of 14 fourth-generation MiG-29 fighters. Theoretically, in the event of a conflict, they can cover the sky over Pyongyang for some time; they will not be able to provide at least local superiority on the front line due to their small numbers. Judging by the photos you have to paint them oil paint, which I think does not poorly characterize the rest of their condition.

2. The USSR supplied the DPRK with 46 MiG-23 fighters, in fact this is the second and last type of DPRK fighter capable of conducting at least some dogfight, but being a magnificent aircraft for the 70s, now (especially given the lack of modernization and the deplorable state of the repair base) it is probably only suitable for dying heroically, trying to cover deploying troops.
3. MiG-21 fighters have the largest number. The DPRK has as many as 130 of them. Unfortunately, these are planes of early modifications, and rather than keeping them in working order, I think it would be better to put them under pressure, anyway, their combat value is zero, and the DPRK has a shortage of air-to-air missiles; there are not enough for all the planes.

4. We continue our journey into the past. North Korea has between 60 and 100 Chinese-made MiG-19 fighters. I’m not sure that planes that are 50 years old are capable of flying. Aluminum is aging... And there are no spare parts for them for a long time.
5. It is also worth mentioning the first generation fighter MIG-15, which has not yet been removed from service in the DPRK. Here you understand there is simply nothing to add. It is useless to indicate their number at the moment, although at least 300 of them were supplied from the USSR and China.

6. Strike aircraft are represented primarily by 20 Su-25 attack aircraft. Really good, albeit somewhat outdated aircraft. Unguided missiles will also not be a problem for them. But without fighter cover, it is, at best, a one-hit weapon.

7. Well, what about antiques? North Korea has 18 SU-7 fighter-bombers. According to Wikipedia, they do not fly, but simply stand on the edge of the airfield, creating the appearance of airplanes.

8. The USSR and China supplied the DPRK with at least 80 IL-28 bombers. One can only guess about the combat value and presence in service of aircraft built based on WWII experience.

9. Transport aviation is represented by nine An-24 aircraft.
10. And with a huge number of An-2s (at least 300 pieces), they do not fly but are mothballed, but nevertheless, in the event of war, they will bear the brunt of transportation. Their advantage is that such an aircraft costs less than the missile required to shoot it down.

11. As multi-role helicopter North Korea purchased 60 American Boeing MD-500 helicopters through third parties. I don’t know how to use a civilian or, at best, a police helicopter as a military helicopter) But at least they are new, which means they can fly. In principle, I think it’s not the worst helicopter for the border service.

12. North Korea also has at least 200 Soviet and Chinese helicopters, the newest of which are Mi-17. In principle, it is not a bad helicopter; as you know, it is still in service in many countries, including South Korea. If the DPRK has resolved the issue with spare parts, then everything is fine)

In addition to them, a number of MI-2 and Mi-4 are in service.

In connection with the new tension in the situation, I want to analyze the relationship between the armed forces of the Republic of Korea and the DPRK.

Republic of Korea

The Republic of Korea Air Force is not very large in numbers, but is very modern and in good condition.

They are based on 42 F-15K heavy fighters (60% consisting of local components). The devices are a redesigned and improved version of the F-15E, complemented by modern infrared equipment, improved radars and an interactive helmet-mounted control system.

The most popular vehicle is the F-5E "Tiger" (174 vehicles in the Air Force). A significant part of the cars are locally produced. All cars are E modifications.

The next most popular aircraft is the F-16 fighter, of which there are 170 (35 F-16C, 90 KF-16C and 45 KF-16D, the latter locally assembled). All machines are adapted to modern ammunition. Modification of all cars is block 32 and higher.

There are comparatively fewer old vehicles in service. There are currently 68 F-4 Phantom-2 fighter-bombers converted into attack aircraft.

Light training and attack aircraft are represented primarily by 64 KAI T-50 light trainers. About 80 more such machines are planned for production. These light attack aircraft have a speed of up to 1.4-1.5 Mach, a range of 1,851 kilometers, and can carry a variety of payloads, including laser bombs, air-to-air missiles and similar ones.

The helicopter fleet is relatively small and includes mainly old American models transport, light and multi-purpose helicopters.

The Air Force is also in charge of the country's air defense system. For 2010, it is represented by 6 batteries of 8 launchers"Patriot" PAC-2 (formerly German, there are 148 missiles in total) and 24 MIM-24 HAWK batteries (about 600 missiles). All rocket launchers integrated into the AN/MQP-64 Sentinel radar system

Democratic People's Republic of Korea

The DPRK Air Force, by contrast, amazes with the number of available vehicles, but their quality is far from ideal. There are about 1,500 aircraft in total, most of them obsolete.

The newest aircraft of the Air Force are 35 MIG-29S fighters with an improved fire control system. These machines, in fact, are the only modern fighters. According to existing data, most of these aircraft are concentrated in Pyongyang’s air defense, which can only be explained by the paranoia of the country’s authorities (since Pyongyang’s air defense is already quite strong, and 35 fighters add little to it). The cars are probably well maintained.

The next oldest fighter is the Mig-23ML, of which there are 46 (another 10 Mig-23R). This vehicle is a lightweight, highly maneuverable version of the conventional Mig-23, aimed at missile duels. In theory, the vehicles can carry the R-23 and R-60, which are in service.

The most popular fighter is the Mig-21, of which there are about 190 in service (including licensed Chinese ones). Presumably - due to problems with spare parts - only a part of this fleet is airworthy. These are completely outdated, heavily worn-out models that formed the basis of the DPRK aircraft fleet in 1960-1980. Most likely, at present it is also difficult for them to find pilots, since due to problems with fuel, most of the aircraft fleet is idle.

Also, there are about 200 completely outdated Mig-17 class fighters made in China. These machines have no combat value, and, according to their characteristics, are no more combat-ready than modern light training aircraft. Presumably, they only have cannon weapons. It is difficult to understand the point of maintaining a fleet of such outdated aircraft if, due to fuel problems, their pilots have not flown for a long time. The only one possible application for them is the role of attack aircraft in the front line.

For unknown reasons, the North Korean Air Force still has over 80 old IL-28 jet bombers in service. It is difficult to understand what role the DPRK generals assign to these machines. Perhaps their role is assumed to be in the delivery mass destruction, although it is difficult to see how these old, slow aircraft can even survive in modern warfare.

North Korean attack aircraft presented a large number aircraft, mostly old models. This is Su-7, Su-22, Q-5 - total number over 98. Although obsolescence is not as important for attack aircraft as for fighters, these aircraft are currently hardly combat-ready (due to severe wear and tear and poor training of pilots)

The only modern attack aircraft are the L-29 (12 units) and the Su-25, in the amount of 36 vehicles.

The DPRK's helicopter fleet is quite strong, although still very small. It is based on helicopters of old models - Mi-2 and Mi-4 (about 200 machines), most of them outdated. The most modern machines are the combat Mi-24 (24 pieces), transport Mi-26 (4 pieces), transport Mi-8 (15 pieces) and militarized civilian helicopters MD 500D of American construction (87 pieces)

In general, judging by the state of the DPRK Air Force, they represent a very insignificant fighting force. Although INDIVIDUAL cars and pilots are probably as good as the Southerners, in general the level of pilot training is most likely lower due to lack of fuel. In addition, a significant part of the machines are physically outdated and have low safety.

To a certain extent, this is compensated by the country’s powerful and sophisticated air defense system. The DPRK's air defense system is one of the most comprehensive and deeply echeloned in the world. Although she doesn't really have effective complexes, it still amazes with its richness.

The basis of the DPRK's air defense is 24 launchers of S-200 missiles. Presumably, they are supplemented by a locally produced analogue of the S-300, but this information- in the face of the obvious failures of the DPRK in rocket science and electronics - does not look reliable.

The most widespread air defense systems in the country are the S-125 (128 launchers) and S-75 (240 launchers) complexes.

Paradoxically, the DPRK is still in service with the S-25 complex, which has been withdrawn from service in all countries. It's hard to explain why, but these clunky and decrepit missiles form the backbone of Pyongyang's air defenses. Their retention in service is explained either by the absence of any possibility of replacement (which clearly does not favor the supposed production of the S-300 in the DPRK) or by the incompetence of the military leadership, which believes that “quantity is key.” Without a doubt, the resources consumed by this hopelessly outdated complex could be much more wisely used to maintain the S-200!

The field is represented by the Krug, Kub, Strela, Igla and Buk complexes, in total over 1000 missiles. The exact number of launchers is unknown.

There are also over 11,000 pieces of anti-aircraft artillery available. For the most part, these are outdated samples of the of different origins. None of them are modern, and their real combat effectiveness is close to zero.

In general, the DPRK Air Force is powerful force, but solely thanks to the air defense system. The fighter element itself is very weak, which is further aggravated by the insufficient training of pilots.

At the end of September, the DPRK held its first air show, the People's Friendship Aviation Festival, in the city of Wonsan on the east coast of the country at the new Kalma Airport. I was able to attend this event, here are some pictures.

2. Similar events in a lightweight format are held in North Korea regularly; tourists from all over the world come to see classic Soviet civil aviation. This is the only place on earth where tourists can fly Il-62M, Tu-154B, Tu-134, Il-18.

3. At the air show, North Korean military aviation was publicly demonstrated for the first time. The hosts showed the most modern models of equipment in service, MiG-29 fighters and Su-25 attack aircraft. For aviation lovers, the legendary MiG-21bis became a real gift.

4. Locals at the festival.

5. After the opening ceremony of the festival, the Hugheses appeared in the sky.

6. Hughes 369E American-made helicopters were acquired in the United States in a roundabout way in the mid-eighties.

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13. Without exaggeration, the interest of local residents in the air show was enormous. In addition to specially designated areas for visitors on the territory of the airfield, people watched what was happening from the surrounding hills. Just like we did at MAX, they probably grilled kebabs there, Koreans love kebabs too :)

14. Ilyushin Il-62M, registration number P-885, serial number 3933913. According to the russianplanes resource, the aircraft was built in 1979 by the Kazan Aviation Production Association named after. Gorbunova (KAPO).

15. Behind the plane rises the outlines of the Kumgangsan mountain area, immediately beyond which South Korea begins, where an air show also took place these days. "Coincidence? I don't think so" (c)

16. Il-62 is the first Soviet jet intercontinental passenger aircraft, the flagship of Aeroflot, now the Korean airline Air Koryo.

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19. An-24

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21. Local press. Also, a lot of foreign journalists were accredited at the festival, noted Reuters, France Press. Russia was represented by TASS correspondent Yuri Sidorov, who has been living in the DPRK for several years; the amount of knowledge about this country would be the envy of any Korean scholar. There were also our diplomats with their families, apparently they had come to rest.

22. Local photographers all use Nikons. These are the same guys whose photo/video materials we love to look at.

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24. The crew of the Il-76 transport aircraft

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28. Su-25 "Rook" attack aircraft. The red signs say that the equipment was personally inspected by the head of state. The headrest is designed in a very original way; people in Asia love this. The gun is chrome plated, the lantern is covered with velvet. Beautiful!

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31. All technical information is in Russian.

23. Since Russian civilization no longer influences this region, knowledge of the Russian language is gradually disappearing.

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34. Military aviation recently received a fashionable gray camouflage; earlier the planes wore a green “thermonuclear” coloring.

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36. Landing, release of the braking parachute.

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38. Foreign spotters were excited about the Mi-8, how little people need to be happy.

39. Mi-8, control hover.

The Eight is certainly an interesting and well-deserved car, but there was a glimmer of hope that the owners would show the Mi-4, this helicopter would create a real sensation. The country operates vehicles that are not in working “live” condition anywhere else in the world: Il-28, Su-7, MiG-15. I think it wouldn’t be bad to give us one copy of the MiG-15 with tail number 325, for example, to the Patriot fleet.

40. P-750 XSTOL from New Zealand.

41. Ilyushin Il-18D, P-835, serial number 188011205. Built at the Moscow Znamya Truda Machine-Building Plant in 1969.

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43. MiG-29, fighters were supplied to the DPRK in the late 80s.

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48. Identification mark North Korean Air Force on a MiG-29. "Pipes" what can we do!?

49. An-2

50. On the nameplate attached to the engine, the designations are in Russian, i.e. It's not "Chinese".

51. Flying over the background of the structure from which the command observes air parades and exercises, with reverse side which offers a wonderful view of the Sea of ​​Japan.

52. On the Kukuruzniki, as well as on civilian aircraft, everyone was actively given rides.

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55. Tu-154B, flying since 1976. They say this is the oldest flying Tu-154!

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58. Festival headliners MiG-21bis.

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63. MiG-21 is a Soviet light supersonic front-line fighter of the third generation, developed by the Mikoyan and Gurevich Design Bureau in the mid-1950s. It should also be noted that our neighbors, South Korea and Japan, are armed with the same age as the Miga, the American F-4 Phantom II.

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67. On landing, the girl made a mistake and hit the ridge on the concrete, but everything turned out well. This was the only incident at the airshow.

68. 21st MiGs are covered with many layers of paint, it is not clear why this was done, as a result, after the flight the paint begins to fall off in pieces, see the ventral ridge.

69. To be honest, before the start of the festival, I expected to see the MiG-21 unpainted.
The moment should “Thunder with fire, sparkling with the brilliance of steel” as in picture

70. This emblem probably has the same meaning as our “Guard” sign. The red flag has a symbol ruling party TPK and Mount Paektusan.

71. Access to the press.

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74. Most interesting place could only be observed from afar. The 92nd aircraft was apparently a reserve for the Migars.

75. UAZ "Tabletka" and MiG-21, classic.

Video from local Channel One.

1. In this photo, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sits in the cockpit of a fighter jet. His father was afraid to fly, but Kim Jong-un himself, on the contrary, has an unprecedented thirst for the sky and, at times, flies planes himself. He even built several small airstrips near his palace.

2. Air Koryo ground service employee at Pyongyang Airport

4. Kim Jong-un talks with officials on board his personal jet at Pyongyang airport.

5. A flight attendant cleans the cabin on an Air Koryo plane that arrived in Pyongyang from Beijing.

6. Two North Korean men pass by a tourist at Pyongyang airport

7. An employee of Sunan Airport in Pyongyang near an Air Koryo plane

8. Kim Jong-un and his wife arrived at the site of the competition among the command staff of the North Korean Air Force

9. In this photo, Kim Jong-un is photographed next to female fighter pilots air force North Korea.

10. An employee at Sunan Airport in Pyongyang

11. On the 62nd anniversary of the victory over militaristic Japan, a competition was held among the commanders of the air force and air defense forces. In this photo, an attack aircraft flies past the podium, where North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is present.

12. On the same day, two fighter jets already fly past the stands.

13. And in this photo the plane is parked in the new terminal of Pyongyang Airport.

Perhaps the most comprehensive material on the state of the air force and air defense of North Korea available in open access. The original text was published in the April issue of the magazine " Air Forces Monthly". At the link you can also find a table indicating the aircraft in service with the DPRK, since for technical reasons it was not included in this post.

The first operation of the DPRK Air Force during the so-called. "War for the liberation of the Fatherland" (such official name war in Korea, which took place from June 1950 to July 1953) was the attack by Yak-9 fighters on aircraft parked on the territory of Seoul International Airport on June 25, 1950. Before the start of the UN operation three months later, North Korean pilots on Yak-9 fighters had five confirmed air victories: one B-29, two L-5, one F-80 and F-51D each, without suffering any losses. The situation completely changed when the air forces of the international coalition countries settled in the South, and the DPRK Air Force was almost completely destroyed. The remaining aircraft were transferred across the Chinese border to the cities of Mukden and Anshan, where the United Air Force was created in November 1950 together with the Chinese Air Force. The PRC continued to provide shelter and assistance to its southern neighbor, and by the end of hostilities in 1953, the PRC Air Force consisted of approximately 135 MiG-15 fighters. A peace treaty between North and South Korea was never signed, and an uneasy peace has existed between the two camps ever since.

From 1969 to the present day, the DPRK Air Force has not been very active, with the exception of isolated decoy attacks by jet aircraft in the area of ​​the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) / Line of Tactical Actions, which are supposedly intended to test the reaction time of South Korean air defense. For example, since 2011, North Korean MiG-29 fighters have several times been forced to take off to intercept South Korean F-16s and F-15Ks.

Selection and training

Cadets for the Air Force are selected from other branches of the Armed Forces, conscripted or recruited on a voluntary basis. Flight crews are selected from the most successful members of the Youth Red Guard (consisting of 17-25 year olds) and usually come from politically influential families, with a higher educational level than the average North Korean.

The first step for those in the DPRK who want to become a military pilot is the Air Force Academy. Kim Cheka in Chongjin, where cadets study for four years. Their flight service begins with 70 hours of flight practice on the Nanchang CJ-6 training aircraft, which is a Chinese copy of the Soviet Yak-18. 50 of these aircraft were received in 1977-1978. They are based at two airfields on the east coast in Chongjin and Gyeongsong. Subsequently, upon attaining the rank of second lieutenant, or “Sowi,” cadets enter a 22-month advanced course at the Gyeongsong Officer Flight School. It includes 100 hours of flight time on MiG-15UTI combat trainers (50 were purchased between 1953-1957) or approximately the same outdated MiG-17 fighters, which are stationed at the nearby air base in Oran.

Having graduated from flight school with the rank of first lieutenant or "Jungwi", the newly minted pilot is assigned to combat unit for further two years of study, at the end of which he is considered fully prepared. Future helicopter pilots are trained on Mi-2 helicopters, and pilots transport aviation- on An-2. An officer can expect 30 years of service, but promotion to higher ranks, the highest of which is General of the Air Force or "Deajang", requires completion of many additional courses, and the highest positions are political appointments.

Training follows rigid Soviet-era doctrine and must conform to the Air Force's highly centralized command and control structure. Through interviews with defectors to South Korea, it becomes clear that poor aircraft maintenance, fuel shortages that limit flying hours, and a generally poor training system are preventing pilots from being trained to the same caliber as their Western opponents.

Organization

The current structure of the DPRK Air Force includes headquarters, four air divisions, two tactical air brigades and a number of sniper brigades (forces special purpose), which are designed to carry out a landing force behind enemy lines in order to disorganize it during hostilities.

The main headquarters is located in Pyongyang, it directly supervises the special flight detachment (VIP transportation), the Gyeongsong officer flight school, reconnaissance, electronic warfare, test units, as well as all air defense units of the DPRK Air Force.

Offensive and defensive weapons are located in three air divisions stationed in Kaesong, Deoksan and Hwangju, which are responsible for the use of numerous artillery anti-aircraft systems and air defense systems. The remaining air division in Oran is dedicated to operational training. Two tactical transport brigades have their headquarters in Tachon and Seondeok.

Aviation divisions and tactical brigades have several airfields at their disposal, almost all have fortified hangars, and some have separate elements of infrastructure hidden in the mountains. But not all of them have “their own” aircraft assigned to them. The DPRK's plan in case of war provides for the dispersal of aircraft from main bases in order to complicate their destruction by a preemptive strike.

The Air Force has not only “fixed” air bases at its disposal: the DPRK is intertwined with a network of long and straight highways, which are crossed by other highways using large concrete bridges. And although this can be observed in other countries, in the DPRK there is no private transport, moreover, women are even prohibited from driving a bicycle. Cargoes are transported by railway, and road transport is very small. Freeways are for fast movement military units throughout the country, as well as reserve airfields in case of war.

The main task of the DPRK Air Force is air defense, which is carried out by an automated airspace control system, which includes a network of radars located throughout the country, covering the air situation over the Korean Peninsula and southern China. The entire system consists of a single air defense district, in which all operations are coordinated from the combat command post at the headquarters of the DPRK Air Force. The district is divided into four sector commands: northwestern, northeastern, southern and Pyongyang air defense subsector. Each sector consists of a headquarters, an airspace control center, early warning radar regiment(s), air defense regiment(s), an air defense artillery division and other independent air defense units. If an intruder is detected, the alarm is raised in the fighter units, the planes themselves take off, and the air defense systems and anti-aircraft artillery take over the target for escort. Further actions of the air defense system and artillery should be coordinated with fighter aviation headquarters and the combat command post.

The main components of the system are based around semi-mobile early warning radars, including Russian early warning radars and 5N69 guidance systems, two of which were delivered in 1984. These systems, whose stated detection range is 600 km, are supported by three ST-68U missile detection and control radars , received in 1987-1988. They can simultaneously detect up to 100 air targets at a maximum range of 175 km and are optimized for detecting low-flying targets and guiding S-75 air defense missiles. The older P-10 systems, 20 of which entered service in 1953-1960, have a maximum detection range of 250 km, and another five relatively newer P-20 radars with the same detection range are elements of the radar field system. It includes at least 300 fire control radars for cannon artillery.

It is unlikely that the North Koreans have only these systems. North Korea often finds ways to circumvent the regime international sanctions, designed to prevent new weapons systems from falling into their hands.

Operational Doctrines

The actions of the North Korean Air Force, whose number reaches 100,000 people, are determined by two main provisions of the basic doctrine of the North Korean army: joint operations, integration guerrilla warfare with the actions of regular troops; and “war on two fronts”: coordination of operations of regular troops, partisan actions, as well as actions of forces special operations deep in South Korea. From this follow the four main tasks of the Air Force: air defense of the country, landing of special operations forces, tactical air support ground forces and fleet, transport and logistics tasks.

Armament

The solution to the first of the four tasks, air defense, lies with fighter aircraft, which consists of approximately 100 Shenyang F-5 fighters (a Chinese copy of the MiG-17, 200 of which were received in the 1960s), the same number of Shenyang F-6 / Shenyang F-6С (Chinese version of the MiG-19PM), delivered in 1989-1991.

The F-7B fighter is the Chinese version of the later MiG-21 variants. 25 MiG-21bis fighters remain in service, which are the remnants of those 30 former Kazakh Air Force vehicles illegally purchased from Kazakhstan in 1999. The DPRK Air Force received at least 174 MiG-21s of various modifications in 1966-1974. Approximately 60 MiG-23s, mostly modifications of the MiG-23ML, were received in 1985-1987.

The most powerful fighters of the DPRK are the MiG-29B/UB, those that remained from the 45 purchased in 1988-1992. Approximately 30 of them were assembled at the Pakcheon aircraft plant, which was specifically designed to assemble this type of aircraft. But the idea failed due to an arms embrago imposed by Russia following disputes over payments.

North Korean ingenuity is undeniable, and there is no reason to believe that, given the regime's emphasis on military issues, they cannot maintain aircraft that have long since been destined for scrap metal, as is the case with Iran. Of these aircraft, only the MiG-21, MiG-23 and MiG-29 are armed with air-to-air missiles: 50 R-27 (purchased in 1991), 450 R-23 (delivered in 1985-1989) and 450 P-60 purchased at the same time. More than 1000 R-13 missiles (the Soviet copy of the American AIM-9 Sidewinder) were received in 1966-1974, but their service life should have expired by now. Additional deliveries may have taken place in violation of international sanctions.

The strike force is represented by up to 40 Nanchang A-5 Fantan-A attack aircraft delivered in 1982, the remaining 28-30 Su-7B fighter-bombers acquired in 1971, and up to 36 Su-25K/BK attack aircraft received at the end 1980s The DPRK maintains in flight condition a significant number (80 or more) of Harbin H-5 front-line bombers (a Chinese copy of the Soviet Il-28), some of which are the reconnaissance modification of the HZ-5.

Direct support for the troops is provided by most of those delivered in 1985-1986. 47 Mi-24D helicopters, of which only 20 are estimated to remain in combat-ready condition. They, like the Mi-2 helicopters, are armed with Malyutka and Fagot anti-tank missiles, produced in the DPRK under Soviet license.

Some of the N-5 bombers are equipped to launch the North Korean version of the Chinese CSS-N-1 anti-ship cruise missile, designated KN-01 Keumho-1. The missile has a firing range of 100-120 km, 100 were fired in 1969-1974. In 1986, five Mi-14PL anti-submarine helicopters were received, but their current condition is unknown.

It is believed that the DPRK has UAVs in its arsenal, and it is also known that Russian complex Malachite, with ten Shmel-1 tactical UAVs, was purchased in 1994. It will not be a surprise to learn that Pyongyang used them as models for the development of its own UAVs.

Logistics support is provided by Air Koryo, a state-owned carrier but also a transport wing of the DPRK Air Force. Today, the airline's fleet consists of a single Il-18V (delivered in the 1960s), as well as three Il-76TD (in operation since 1993). Other types of aircraft are represented by seven An-24, four Il-62M, the same number of Tu-154M, a pair of Tu-134 and Tu-204. The company also operates an unknown number of helicopters. Although their primary purpose is military, they carry civilian registration, which allows them to fly outside the DPRK.

There are currently no clear signs that North Korea is modernizing its aircraft, despite a high-level North Korean procurement delegation visiting Russia last August.

Missile defense

Of course, the DPRK's air defense system is based on three main pillars - air defense systems. This is the S-75 air defense system, in 1962-1980. 2,000 missiles and 45 launchers were delivered, and this system is the most numerous. Many of them have recently been deployed near the 38th parallel, and most of the remaining ones protect three corridors - one along Kaesong, Sariwon, Pyongyang, Pakchon and Sinuiju on the west coast. The other two pass along east coast between Wonsan, Hamhung and Sinpo, and between Chongjin and Najin.

In 1985, 300 missiles and eight S-125 air defense missile launchers were delivered, most of them covering high-value targets, especially Pyongyang and military infrastructure. In 1987, four launchers and 48 S-200 air defense missiles were purchased. These long-range, medium- and high-altitude systems use the same targeting radars as the S-75. Four regiments armed with this type of air defense system are deployed next to their colleagues equipped with the S-75 air defense system (optimized for combating high-altitude targets).

Another numerous type of air defense system is the KN-06 - a local copy of the Russian two-digital air defense system S-300. Its firing range is estimated at 150 km. This truck-mounted system was first publicly displayed at a military parade marking the 65th anniversary of the founding of the North Korean Workers' Party in October 2010.

Considerable effort is spent on making it more difficult to destroy from the air. missile systems and associated radars. Most of North Korea's early warning, target tracking and missile guidance radars are located either in large underground concrete bunkers to protect against weapons of mass destruction or in dug-out mountain shelters. These facilities consist of tunnels, a control room, crew rooms, and blast-resistant steel doors. If necessary, the radar antenna is raised to the surface by a special elevator. There are also many decoy radars and missile launchers, as well as alternate sites for the SAMs themselves.

The DPRK Air Force is also responsible for the use of MANPADS. The most numerous are the Strela-2 MANPADS, but at the same time in 1978-1993. Approximately 4,500 North Korean copies of the Chinese HN-5 MANPADS were delivered to the troops. In 1997, Russia transferred to the DPRK a license to produce 1,500 Igla-1 MANPADS. "Strela-2" is a first-generation MANPADS that can only be targeted by radiation in the near-infrared range, mostly engine exhaust gases. On the other hand, Igla-1 is equipped with a dual-mode (infrared and ultraviolet) guidance head, which can be aimed at less powerful radiation sources emanating from the aircraft's airframe. Both systems are optimized for use against low-flying targets.

Talking about artillery systems Air defense, it should be noted that their backbone is the 100-mm KS-19 guns developed in the 1940s. 500 guns of this type were delivered between 1952 and 1980, followed by 24 more guns in 1995. More lethal are the approximately 400 self-propelled anti-aircraft guns- 57-mm ZSU-57 and 23-mm ZSU 23/4, received in 1968-1988. This arsenal covers major cities, ports, large enterprises. North Korea has also developed its own self-propelled 37 mm anti-aircraft installation, called M1992, which strongly resembles Chinese models.

The state is a rogue

The available weapons made it possible to create one of the most dense air defense systems in the world. The emphasis on air defense systems and cannon artillery is a direct result of Pyongyang's inability to acquire modern fighters or even spare parts for the antiques that make up the bulk of the North Korean Air Force. Probing of the positions of China and Russia in 2010 and 2011 was rejected by both countries. A pariah state on the world stage, the CPV has developed a reputation for not paying for goods already delivered, and even China, which has been North Korea's longtime ally and facilitator, is showing irritation with its southern neighbor's behavior. Much to Beijing’s displeasure, it is purposefully refusing to create market economy the same type that proved so successful during the reforms in China.

Maintaining the status quo and continuing to oppress one's people are fundamental driving forces leaders of the DPRK. It turns out that it is much cheaper to create or threaten to create nuclear weapons, which can harass and threaten potential external aggressors than to buy and maintain modern military forces. The North Korean leadership quickly learned lessons from the fate of Colonel Gaddafi, who gave in to Western demands and destroyed its nuclear capabilities and other types of weapons of mass destruction, joining the “good guys” club.

Korean Peninsula

The second task facing the DPRK Air Force is to deploy special operations forces to the Korean Peninsula. It is estimated that there are up to 200,000 people in the North Korean army who are called upon to carry out such a task. The landing is largely carried out by 150 An-2 transport aircraft and its Chinese counterpart Nanchang/Shijiazhuang Y-5. In the 1980s About 90 Hughes 369D/E helicopters were secretly purchased to circumvent sanctions, and it is believed that today 30 of them are still capable of taking off. This type of helicopter makes up a significant portion of South Korea's air fleet, and if special operations forces infiltrate south of the border, they could cause confusion among the defenders. Interestingly, South Korea also has an unknown number of An-2s, presumably with similar missions.

The next most common type of helicopter in service in the People's Democratic Republic of Korea is the Mi-2, of which there are about 70. But they have a very small payload. The veteran Mi-4 is probably also in service in small quantities. The only ones modern types helicopters are Mi-26, four copies of which were received in 1995-1996. and 43 Mi-8T/MTV/Mi-17, at least eight of which were obtained illegally from Russia in 1995.

Should we be afraid of North Korea?

The North Korean military exists solely to defend the Fatherland and threaten to invade South Korea. Any such invasion would begin with a massive low-altitude attack from the South, with special operations forces being dropped across the front lines by air to "knock out" strategic assets before a ground offensive across the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Although such a threat may seem fantastic due to the state of the DPRK Air Force, it cannot be completely discounted. The importance South Korea places on its own defense is evidence of this. Over the past twenty years, four new North Korean air bases have been established near the DMZ, reducing flight time to Seoul to just a few minutes. Seoul itself is a major target, one of the world's largest cities with a population of more than 10 million. More than half of South Korea's population lives in the surrounding metropolitan area of ​​Incheon and Gyeonggi Province, which is the second highest in the world: 25 million people live here and most of the country's industry is located.

There is no doubt that even if the conflict results in huge losses for the North, it will also be devastating for the South. The shock to the global economy will also be severe. It is worth mentioning that at the end of 2010, when the North shelled the South Korean island, there were also large-scale maneuvers during which a large-scale air raid was practiced, which was supposedly an imitation of a large-scale war. The result was somewhat of a farce, as the exercise included aircraft collisions, poor reliability, weak command and control, and a haphazard plan.

No one can say in which direction the modern leader of the DPRK, Kim Jong-un, will lead the country, and to what extent he is just a puppet in the hands of the old guard who have usurped power. What is certain is that there are no signs of change on the horizon. And the world community looks at the country with suspicion, and the latter nuclear tests February 12, 2013, only strengthened him in this.

Originalpublications: Air Forces Monthly, April 2013 — Sérgio Santana

Translation by Andrey Frolov