Old Soviet fighters are being converted into ‘diving kamikazes’

According to a statement made by a former intelligence agent, North Korea has initiated a military modernization program. This initiative, as reported by The Korea Times, is said to involve the repurposing of hundreds of antiquated fighter jets into kamikaze drones.

• Poseidon’s copy: Non-Russian nuke ‘Doomsday’ was tested underwater
• Could Russia trade new MiG-29 fighters for North Korean weapons?
• North Korea showed Russia indistinguishable copies of the US MQ-9

Choe Su-Yong, a former operative of the National Intelligence Service [NIS], has been reported to assert, “These unmanned suicide drones are intended to target and strike at the heart of South Korea’s primary industrial and infrastructure installations.”  

In the realm of military and political affairs, it has been divulged by a credible agent that North Korea, in a strategically significant move, is endeavoring to repurpose Soviet-era warplanes. The intent behind this maneuver is to transform these aviation relics into state-of-the-art, precision-guided kamikaze drones, thereby amplifying their warfare capabilities.

In stark contrast to conventional military drones, which are remotely piloted and capable of returning to their base post-deployment of ordinance, suicide drones are engineered with a singular, terminal purpose: to strike and subsequently detonate. Depending on the model, these so-called ‘kamikaze’ drones can be equipped with an assortment of explosive payloads and missiles. 

“Indeed, it has been a considerable duration during which the South Korean military has been diligently preparing to counteract this type of military menace,” the agent elucidated. 

According to an assessment by the esteemed US Defense Intelligence Agency, it is estimated that the military arsenal of North Korea boasts more than 900 combat aircraft. However, it is noteworthy to mention that a significant proportion of these aircraft are bereft of modern technology, rendering them conspicuously outmoded. 

In the year 1950, it is widely believed that the Soviets introduced approximately 750 aircraft models. Among these, around 400 are speculated to be of the MiG-15 variant, while the remaining 350 are considered to be the MiG-17, -19, and -21 series. 

North Korea joins ‘Drone Game’

Following the tumultuous conflict in Ukraine, the utilization of unmanned aerial vehicles [UAVs] to target military establishments, identify enemy locations, and perform intelligence and reconnaissance missions has been observed. This has led to the rise of North Korea’s drone capabilities, which are now regarded as a significant security issue for South Korea.

There is an escalated level of apprehension, particularly in light of recent developments in North Korea’s drone technology. The nation, July, took the opportunity of a significant military parade in Pyongyang to unveil a drone bearing striking similarities to the MQ-9 model.

The incident underscored the concerted efforts of North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, to enhance the stature and recognition of the nation’s drone initiative.

In an intriguing move, North Korea has disseminated images that depict an aircraft bearing a striking resemblance to the US military’s esteemed RQ-4 Global Hawk. This formidable machine, significantly larger than the Reaper model, is renowned for its capacity to execute comprehensive intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance [ISR] missions of extended duration.

In the final month of the year 2022, a quintet of drones, originating from North Korea, ventured into the airspace of South Korea. For a period that spanned five hours, these unmanned aerial vehicles meticulously executed their mission. After the successful culmination of their operation, they navigated back, unscathed, to their homeland in North Korea.

Significantly, it was observed that one of these unmanned aerial vehicles managed to infringe, albeit momentarily, upon a designated no-fly zone. This included a particularly sensitive restricted area encompassing the official residence of South Korea’s President Yoon Suk-yeol, located in the heart of Seoul.

The emerging circumstances have precipitated a response from South Korea, prompting them to implement strategic countermeasures aimed at mitigating the potential threat of North Korea’s advanced drone capabilities.

In an unequivocal directive, President Yoon Suk Yeol has summoned the pertinent Cabinet ministers, underscoring the imperative for fortifying the nation’s readiness. The objective is to thwart potential offensives by North Korea against South Korean infrastructure with utmost efficacy.

In the course of a Cabinet assembly convened on the 21st of August, the speaker articulated, “In the hypothetical scenario of an armed conflict, North Korea’s strategic agenda would likely involve the obliteration of South Korea’s key infrastructure and major facilities, to induce a systemic paralysis.”

Yoon meticulously underscored the potential targets that North Korea could seek to incapacitate using a variety of tactics such as missile strikes, drone attacks, or cyber intrusions. These potential targets encompass nuclear reactor installations, industrial technology complexes, and locations that are intrinsically linked to the country’s national communications network.

In an assertive move, Seoul is in the process of instituting a novel drone operations command within the military framework, a significant development that is scheduled for its official commencement in September. This strategic measure forms an integral part of a broader initiative designed to preemptively counteract the prospective peril posed by the infiltration of North Korean unmanned aerial vehicles [UAVs].

The newly established command will undertake the crucial responsibility of confronting adversarial Unmanned Aerial Vehicles [UAVs]. This will involve a comprehensive approach that combines vigilant surveillance and thorough reconnaissance. Furthermore, it is within the command’s remit to execute offensive operations if deemed necessary, along with other strategic military measures.

Indeed, the transformation of antiquated fighter aircraft into Kamikaze unmanned aerial vehicles presents a potent threat to crucial infrastructure and essential facilities.

***

Follow us everywhere and at any time. BulgarianMilitary.com has responsive design and you can open the page from any computer, mobile devices or web browsers. For more up-to-date news, follow our Google News, YouTube, Reddit, LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook pages. Our standards: Manifesto & ethical principles.