North Korean Air Force
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The North Korean Air Force is equipped mainly with Soviet-era and non-vital Chinese technology. When the People's Army Group was formed, the aviation unit became its air force branch on August 20, 1947. North Korea celebrates August 20th as the Air Force Foundation Day.
As of 1992, North Korea's airforce comprised of about 1,620 aircraft and 70,000 personnel, about twice the number of aircraft as the South, though the operational status of many of these aircraft is unknown. Most of its aircraft are obsolete Soviet and Chinese models, but it has been modernizing since the 1980s. Modern aircraft include 150 MiG-21s, 60 MiG-23P fighter-bombers and MiG-23ML close-support fighters, and 40 Q-5 Fantan ground attack planes. During the 1980s, the airforce expanded its inventory of helicopters from 40 to 275. This inventory includes Mi-2/HOPLITEs, Mi-4/HOUNDs, and Mi-8/HIPs. In 1985, the DPRK circumvented U.S. export controls to buy 87 U.S.-manufactured civilian model Hughes helicopters, which are more advanced than the Russian models and have probably been armed with guns and rockets. North Korea does not manufacture its own aircraft, but it does produce spare parts.[1] An assessment by US analysts GlobalSecurity.org reported that the air force "has a marginal capability for defending North Korean airspace and a limited ability to conduct air operations against South Korea."[2]
Contents |
[edit] Aircraft inventory
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Versions | In service[3] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antonov An-2 |  China |
utility transport | An-2
Y-5 |
~300 | built by PZL
built by Shijiazhuang |
| Antonov An-24 |  Soviet Union |
tactical transport | 6 | ||
| Ilyushin Il-62 | Soviet Union |
transport | 4 | ||
| Ilyushin Il-18 | Soviet Union |
transport | 2 | ||
| Ilyushin Il-28 | China |
bomber | H-5 | 80 | built by Harbin |
| MD Helicopters MD 500 |  United States |
scout helicopter | 87 | ||
| Mikoyan MiG-15 | Soviet Union |
trainer | MiG-15UTI | 30 | |
| Mikoyan MiG-17 | China |
fighter | F-5 | 107 | built by Shenyang |
| Mikoyan MiG-19 | China |
fighter | F-6 | +100 | built by Shenyang |
| Mikoyan MiG-21 | Soviet Union |
fighter
trainer |
MiG-21
MiG-21U |
150
6 |
|
| Mikoyan MiG-23 | Soviet Union |
fighter | ~60 | ||
| Mikoyan MiG-29 |  Russia |
fighter | ~40 | ||
| Mil Mi-4 | Soviet Union |
utility helicopter | 48 | ||
| Mil Mi-8 | Soviet Union |
transport helicopter | 15 | ||
| Mil Mi-24 | Russia |
attack | 20-24 | ||
| Nanchang CJ-6 | China |
trainer | 180 | ||
| Sukhoi Su-7 | Soviet Union |
attack | 18 | ||
| Nanchang Q-5 | China |
attack | 40 | ||
| Sukhoi Su-25 | Soviet Union |
attack | 35 | ||
| Tupolev Tu-134 | Soviet Union |
transport | 2 | ||
| Tupolev Tu-154 | Soviet Union |
transport | Tu-154B | 4 | |
| Mil Mi-2 | Soviet Union |
utility helicopter | Mi-2 | 140 |
Some types may no longer remain operational with the NKAF, but likely remain in reserve storage:
- Il-14M Classic
- Yak-18 Trainer Aircraft
Aircraft of the NKAF operate the following missiles:
- AAM
- AA-2 ATOLL
- AA-7 APEX
[edit] Air defense
- SAM
- SA-2 GUIDELINE
- SA-3 GOA
- SA-5 GAMMON
- SA-7 GRAIL
- SA-14 GREMLIN
- SA-16 GIMLET
[edit] Major air bases
Following is a list of bases where North Korean Air Force aircraft are permanently based[4] [5].
[edit] Northwest
- Uiju - 24th Air Regiment (1 ACC) (H-5). Grass airfield with a few small transport or trainer aircraft. ()
- Panghyon/Naamsi - Air Regiment (1 ACC) (MiG-17F/J-5, F-5/FT-5). Airfield near Uiju region with 2500 m runway.()
- Taechon - Headquarters, 5th Transport Division. Air Transport Regiment (5 TD) (An-2/Y-5). Air transport base with only An-2 aircraft; 2000 m runway.()
- Kaech'on - Headquarters, 1st Air Combat Command. 35th Air Regiment (MiG-19/J-6). Fighter base with 2500 m runway. Google Earth confirms presence of MiG-19 aircraft.()
- Pukch'ang - 60th Air Regiment (1 ACC) (MiG-23ML/MiG-23UB/MiG-15UTI); Air Transport Regiment (5 TD) (H500D/H500E/MD-500). Fighter base with 2500 m runway; Google Earth imagery confirms the presence of large numbers of MiG-23 aircraft.()
- Samjangkol - Air Transport Regiment (6 TD) (Mi-2).
- Sunchon - 55th Air Regiment (1 ACC) (Su-25K/Su-25UBK/Su-7BMK) (MiG-29 suspected). The Google Earth imagery shows what appears to be MiG-21s and Su-25s. Runway length is 2500 m. ()
- Kanch'on - Air Transport Regiment (6 TD) (Mi-4/Z-5/Mi-8/Mi-17/Mi-2).
[edit] West Coast and Pyongyang
- Onchon - 57th Air Regiment (1 ACC) (MiG-19/J-6/MiG-29/MiG-29UB). ()
- Hwangju - Headquarters, 3rd Air Combat Command. 56th Air Regiment (3 ACC) (MiG-21U/MiG-21PF/J-7). ()
- Kwail/Pungchon - 4th Air Regiment (3 ACC) (F-6/FT-5/MiG-19) (MiG-17/J-5 suspected). ()
- Taetan - Air Regiment (3 ACC) (F-5/FT-5/H-5). In October 1995 due to rising military tension, more than 20 Il-28 bombers were moved to Taetan which shortened their arrival time to Seoul from 30 minutes to 10 minutes. ()
- Pyongyang Sunan International Airport - Air Transport Regiment (Air Koryo) (Tu-134B/Tu-154B/Il-62/Il-76MD/Il-14/Il-18/An-24). ()
- Mirim - This airfield served as a light transport base and closed sometime in the 1990s. ()
[edit] DMZ area
- Chunghwa - Headquarters, Air Command.
- Koksan - 86th Air Regiment (3 ACC) (MiG-21PF/MiG-21U) (J-7 suspected). ()
- Hyon-ni - Air Regiment (F-5/FT-5). ()
[edit] East Coast
- Toksan - Headquarters, 2nd Air Combat Command. Air Regiment (2 ACC) (MiG-21PF/J-7/F-7). ()
- Sondok - Air Transport Regiment (Y-5/An-2). ()
- Kowon - Air Transport Regiment (6 TD) (Z-5/Mi-4/Mi-8/Mi-17).
- Pakhon - Air Transport Regiment (6 TD) (Z-5/Mi-4/Mi-8/Mi-17/Mi-2).
- Wonsan - Air Regiment (2 ACC) (F-6/FT-5) (MiG-19/J-6 suspected). Google Earth confirms presence of Mig-21/J-7 aircraft. ()
[edit] Far Northeast
- Samjiyon - Training Regiment (8 AD) (MiG-15UTI) (J-2/MiG-15 suspected). ()
- Hyesan - Training Regiment (8 AD) (An-2/Y-5). ()
- Hwangsuwon-ni - 72nd Air Regiment (2 ACC) (A-5/FT-5) (MiG-19/J-6 suspected). ()
- Kilchu - Training Regiment (8 AD) (Mi-2). ()
- Orang - Headquarters, 8th Air Division. Training Regiment (8 AD) (MiG-15UTI/J-2/MiG-15). Air Regiment (H-5). ()
- Changjin-up - Most pilot training is conducted here at Kim Ch'aek Air Force Academy. Training Regiment (8 AD) (CJ-6) (Yak-18 suspected). ()
[edit] Trivia
Due to the political condition of North Korea, several disillusioned North Korean pilots have defected with their jets. These incidents includes:
- On September 21, 1953, 21-year old No Kum-Sok a senior lieutenant of North Korean air force flew his Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 across the to the South. Considered an intelligence bonanza, since this fighter plane was then the best the Communist bloc had, No was awarded the then exorbitant sum of $100,000 and the right to reside in the United States.
- In February 1983, Captain Lee Ung-Pyong of the North Korean air force used a training exercise to defect and landed his Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 at an airfield in Seoul. According to the then common practice, he received a commission in the South Korean Air Force eventually becoming a colonel and taught at the South Korean air force academy until his death in 2002. He received a reward of 1.2 billion South Korean won.
- On May 23, 1996, Captain Lee Chul-Su of the North Korean air force defected with another Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 numbered 529 to Suwon Air Base, South Korea. He reportedly left behind his wife and two children. Lee was rewarded 480 million South Korean won (the equivalent of 560,000 United States dollars at the time).
[edit] See Also
[edit] References
- ^ [1]
- ^ http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/dprk/airforce.htm
- ^ "World Military Aircraft Inventory", Aerospace Source Book 2007, Aviation Week & Space Technology, January 15, 2007.
- ^ North Korean Special Weapons Facilities, Federation of American Scientists, 2006.
- ^ North Korean Air Forces, Scramble, Dutch Aviation Society, 2006.
