If North Korea wishes to start a war with the US and South Korea, it has to control the air, and for that it needs its airforce. So what aircraft has the North got in which to deny the South and the US from taking control of the air?
Well, its primary fighter aircraft is the MiG-29, of which they purchased 45 between 1988 and 1992. Of which they currently have 40 flying with 5 being the 2 seat trainer variant. A formidable opponent when it was introduced in 1983, but 30 years later it is showing its age. Which kind of explains why most air forces which bought it, have now gone on and retired them off.
These cutting edge aircraft (as if) are backed up by around 40 MiG-23 which, while it may have been a player when it first flew in 1967, is only flown by tin pot regimes such as Cuba, Ethiopia, Libya, Sudan, Syria and Zimbabwe. In other words, countries which can't afford to purchase anything half as decent.
Both these world class fighter aircraft (yeah, right) are backed up by around 150 Mig-21 fighter aircraft, a plane which first flew in 1955 and is only used by countries which really can't afford to buy anything else.
As you can see, North Korea doesn't even have a third rate airforce, and if put even against the tiny little Taiwan, it would be blown out of the air within minutes.
South Korea has over 140 F-16s
60 F-15K
The US has the same as the South Koreans, just more of them.
So really, if it came to an air war, North Korea would last as long they could hide their aircraft.
Well, its primary fighter aircraft is the MiG-29, of which they purchased 45 between 1988 and 1992. Of which they currently have 40 flying with 5 being the 2 seat trainer variant. A formidable opponent when it was introduced in 1983, but 30 years later it is showing its age. Which kind of explains why most air forces which bought it, have now gone on and retired them off.
These cutting edge aircraft (as if) are backed up by around 40 MiG-23 which, while it may have been a player when it first flew in 1967, is only flown by tin pot regimes such as Cuba, Ethiopia, Libya, Sudan, Syria and Zimbabwe. In other words, countries which can't afford to purchase anything half as decent.
Both these world class fighter aircraft (yeah, right) are backed up by around 150 Mig-21 fighter aircraft, a plane which first flew in 1955 and is only used by countries which really can't afford to buy anything else.
As you can see, North Korea doesn't even have a third rate airforce, and if put even against the tiny little Taiwan, it would be blown out of the air within minutes.
South Korea has over 140 F-16s
60 F-15K
The US has the same as the South Koreans, just more of them.
So really, if it came to an air war, North Korea would last as long they could hide their aircraft.
