Reuters reports that North Korea has revealed its airborne early-warning and control aircraft (AEW&C) publicly for the first time.
contacted the North Korean embassy in the U.K. for remarks through an emailed message.
Why It Matters
North Korea’s newly developed AEW&C airplane represents an advancement over its outdated air defense equipment, indicating that the nation might be gearing up for possible confrontations as regional political strains intensify.
North Korea’s presentation of its new armaments follows closely after its
recent threat
into the U.S., following its criticism of Washington for taking part in combined drills with the Japanese and South Korean navies between March 17 and 20.
After the tripartite exercises, North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) stated in an announcement, “It is clear that these maneuvers were intended to assess our nation’s nuclear and missile capacities as well as specifically its naval defenses, with the aim of stripping us of our marine autonomy,” adding, “All provocations and threats will be met with overpowering and definitive retaliation.”
What To Know
Images of North Korea’s leader
Kim Jong Un
As he boarded the aircraft to inspect it, rumors began circulating on social media.
The plane boasts four engines along with a radar dome attached to the body of the aircraft, but its formal designation remains undisclosed.
Previously, the aircraft was only observed via satellite images, with analysts stating that it was derived from the Russian-built Il-76 transport plane for use in an early warning capacity.
To manufacture the new aircraft, North Korea allegedly
transformed a Russian-built military cargo aircraft
transformed into an airborne command center fitted with a robust radar system.
The AEW&C aircraft would assist North Korea in monitoring low-flying aircraft and cruise missiles.
China has an Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft referred to as the
KJ-3000
That was introduced in January and can detect American military aircraft entering the nation’s air space from greater distances.
The U.S. possesses its own stealth planes,
Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) airplane
including the U.S. Air Force’s Boeing E-3 Sentry and the U.S. Navy’s carrier-compatible E-2 Hawkeye.
Russia’s AWACS, the
Beriev A-50 aircraft
, are potent and costly spy planes that Ukraine has successfully targeted multiple times in 2024.
Apart from examining the latest planes from North Korea, Kim also oversaw the testing of AI-powered suicide drones and enhanced surveillance drones capable of identifying both terrestrial and marine objectives, according to reports by Reuters.
What People Are Saying
The Korean Central News Agency, North Korea’s official news agency, reported that concerning the defense advancements in Pyongyang, Kim stated
: “He said that our special means with the application of up-to-date technology would play a big role in monitoring potential threats and collecting vital intelligence and that they would give full play to their might in enhancing our army’s capability of conducting various kinds of intelligence-gathering operations and neutralizing the enemy’s combat means of various missions.”
On a post made on X, previously called Twitter, the user did this:
OSINTdefender
, who frequently shares content related to worldwide disputes, penned down
Earlier this week, during an event held at Pyongyang International Airport with Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un present, North Korea revealed its very first Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft. This new plane seems to draw inspiration from both the Russian A-50 ‘Mainstay’ and the Chinese KJ-2000 ‘Kongji’, each of which uses a modified variant of Russia’s Ilyushin Il-76—the same model used for North Korea’s newly unveiled system. Although the aircraft does not yet have an official designation within North Korea, satellite images indicate that work on it began at a maintenance hangar inside Pyongyang International back in 2023. Despite being derived from planes employed by Russia and China, details remain unclear regarding these nations’ contributions towards developing and constructing North Korea’s own AEW&C platform.
What Happens Next
The timing and circumstances of North Korea potentially using this new AEW&C aircraft remain uncertain.
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