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Satellite imagery from the specialised website N38 North appeared to show that the country’s first airborne early warning aircraft is near completion.
ADVERTISEMENTNorth Korea appears to be upgrading its air force, as a website specialised in the country showed satellite imagery of an early warning aircraft nearing completion. This would be the first aircraft of its kind to join the North Korean army.Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programs pose a significant security threat to South Korea, the US and others. However, its aerial surveillance capability is far behind that of its rivals, while most of its fighter jets and other military aircraft are ageing. 38 North, a website specialising in North Korea studies, reported Tuesday that recent commercial satellite imagery showed an Ilyushin IL-76 aircraft parked at a Pyongyang airport, with a large radome mounted on top of the fuselage. A radome refers to a structure that encircles a radar system.It called the aircraft’s near-completion “a significant upgrade for an air force that has not seen new airborne capabilities in years.”The website said the radome has a distinctive triangle design on top, similar to what is seen on some Chinese airborne early warning aircraft, but not used on US or Russian aircraft. “This could indicate support or influence from China, although the triangle alone is not conclusive proof,” the website said.The aircraft, which was one of three IL-76s previously used by North Korea’s national airline, Air Koryo, was moved into the airport’s maintenance facility in October 2023 before work began on a section on top of the fuselage, the website said.Last November, the aircraft, then without the radome, was moved into the adjacent hangar. It remained there until late this February, when it appeared outside the hangar with the radome mounted, according to the website.Jung Chang Wook, head of the Korea Defence Study Forum think tank in Seoul, said the aircraft would detect and track the movements of enemy planes and other military assets and relay information to land-based centres. If it has the technology to distribute such information to its air and other assets and command their operations, it will help North Korea conduct military operations in a much faster manner.“It’s like the North Korean air forces opening their eyes,” Jung said.Pyongyang would need at least four airborne early warning aircraft to monitor South Korea 24 hours a day, Jung added, as they can take turns to perform surveillance missions, undergo maintenance and conduct training. South Korea has four US-made airborne early warning and control aircraft and plans to buy four more, according to the South Korean expert.In late 2023, North Korea placed its first spy satellite into orbit, but foreign experts question its capability.
