North Korea has unveiled a drone formation flight that was deliberately made to emulate American models, making aerial identification of friend or foe challenging. This disclosure marks the first time such a flight and an air-to-air missile live-fire test have been publicly shown. It is also speculated that Russian technical support might be involved in these developments.
According to the Korean Central News Agency on the 17th, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited the Air Force’s First Division under the Air Force Wing on the 15th to oversee combat and air raid training. He emphasized that all military units should achieve a transformative switch in their readiness for war under constant preparedness. Senior researcher Hong Min suggests Kim likely visited the 55th Air Regiment in Sunchon, South Pyongan Province, which hosts an elite unit of the North Korean Air Force, equipped with attack aircraft like the Sukhoi Su-25K, Su-25UBK, Su-7BMK, and the MiG-29.
Notably, the North’s unveiling of the “Satbyeol-4” (North Korean version of Global Hawk) and “Satbyeol-9” (North Korean Reaper) drones left an impression. This event marks the first public exposure of the North Korean Reaper’s formation flight. Military expert Yoo Yong-won noted that the drones closely mimic U.S. models in external antenna design, attachment, nationality markings, potentially causing identification issues.
Additionally, the live firing from MiG-29s showcases what appears to be either the same or modified air-to-air missiles first displayed at North Korea’s “Self-Defense-2021” arms exhibition. The release of live-fire footage is unprecedented, suggesting that North Korea might have acquired advanced air-to-air missile system integration technology, possibly transferred through recent military collaborations with Russia. However, despite showcasing a mid-range designed missile, only short-range shootdowns were displayed.
Researcher Hong Min postulates that the air-to-air missile might be a North Korean adaptation of Russian models like the R-27 or R-77. He sees the potential for technical transfers from Russia.
Newly displayed weapons, resembling the Hellfire missiles used by American MQ-9 Reaper drones, were also introduced. The “Satbyeol-9” is shown equipped with new long-range precision guided bombs.
Kim Jong-un has tasked the development of integrated aviation weaponry and anti-aircraft defense systems, detection, electronic warfare systems, and anti-drone integration systems. This suggests a shift in North Korea’s defense concept from passive to more offensive strategies.
Recently, North Korea has been highlighting conventional weapon modernization, coinciding with Kim’s military visits, likely to emphasize a focus on modernizing air force capabilities.