The usage by the Russians in Ukraine in mid-September 2022 of circulating Heran-1 kind ammunition (Iranian Shahed-131: dimension 2.6 m, wingspan 2.2 m) and Heran-2 (Iranian Shahed-136: dimension 3.5 m, wingspan 2.5 m) and Mohajer-6 (length 5.67 m, wingspan 10 m) drew the attention of military analysts to the tactical possible of this comparatively innovative kind of weapon. Quickly, the conclusions of events in Ukraine were drawn by parties straight and indirectly active in the war. However, as the incidental below shows, they were not decently anticipated in the Yankee protectorate of the Republic of Korea.
Penetration by North Korean drones
On Monday, December 26, 2022, at 10:30 a.m. local time (01:30 GMT) 5 belonging to the Korean People's Democratic Republic (KRL-D) of unmanned aircraft (bsp) crossed the demarcation line with the Republic of Korea in the west coast area. Despite South Korea's shooting at North Korean drones about a 100 missiles and picking up fighter aircraft and helicopters against them, they penetrated South Korean air defense, operated for respective hours over Gyeonggi Province, then returned to their home country, disappearing from their radars.
One of the North Korean bsp reached even over Seoul, to region P-73 extending in Yongsan territory within a radius of 4 km. from the presidential palace. South Korean Command only admitted this after a fewer days, while ensuring that no of the KRL-D drones flew over the President's office nor threatened the building. During the flight of the North Korean bsp at the command of the army, the civilian airports of Gimpo (from 13:08 to 14:10) and Incheon (from 13:22 to 14:10) were excluded from operation.
Compromise of the air defence of South Korea
The incidental was a disgrace to the air defence of the Republic of Korea, which failed to shoot down any of the North Korean drones. In addition, 1 of the aircraft targeted against the KRL-D drones crashed shortly after taking off in a rice field in Gangwon state – 2 pilots managed to eject in time and were transported to the hospital. The crashed unit was a KAI KA-1 low-roller armed with non-directed kal missile. 70 mm. and device weapon cal. 12.7 mm. The origin of the crash was most likely a power squad malfunction. On December 27, South Korean aircraft and helicopters were one more time ripped into the air and local authorities sent text messages to residents informing about attacking KRL-D drones, however, the origin of the false alarm proved to be a passing flock of birds.
South Korean authorities' response
In view of the situation, the president of the Republic of Korea Yoon Suk Yeol convened a Cabinet Council meeting, at which he announced an increase in the surveillance of South Korean airspace, the creation of units adapted to combat tiny bsp, and the launch of a South Korea production programme and the acquisition of its own unmanneds capable of monitoring military facilities within the KRL-D territory. The president besides accused his predecessor Moon Jae-in that since 2017, South Korea had virtually not practiced fighting tiny bsp and announced a change to this situation.
Chief of Operations of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General weapon Kang Shin Chul apologized in front of the cameras for the failure of the South Korean Army and admitted that it does not have units to combat drones with a span of up to a fewer meters, only to combat larger flying units. The South Korean commander urged the public not to panic and announced the creation of units adapted to combat tiny bsp and their own tiny South Korean reflection and combat drones that could be utilized against KRL-D.
South Korea announces strengthening aerial protection radar reflection measures: both low-altitude radars and long-range radars to monitor airspace over North Korea. At the level of direction of armed forces, rules are to be laid down for the distribution of targets between sensors and effectors.
South Korean exercises
On Thursday, December 29, the Army of the Republic of Korea organized exercises in the Yangju area to combat tiny bsp with a wingspan of 2-3 m. and to improve operational procedures. The training was attended by components of the Army Air Command, Air Army Operations Command, Land Operations Command and Land Army Corps.
Approximately 50 manned and unmanned aircraft were used, including KA-1 assault aircraft, AH-64 Apache impact helicopters, AH-1 Cobra impact helicopters and light multi-purpose MD 500 helicopters. Ground components were besides used: artillery sets of Vulcan kal. 20 mm. And Cheonma rocket kits.
In order to avoid harm to residential infrastructure, firing was disabled from the exercise, utilizing only a non-kinetic firearm aboard MD 500. Instead, aircraft were utilized to detect, identify, track and capture bsp.
KRL-D potential
KRL-D now most likely has about 300 bsp, most of which are to be aircraft with a span of respective meters, equipped with simple reflection devices. Initially, KRL-D was based on primitive drones based on commercial components. In time, they were replaced by copies of Chinese drones, which are full autonomous bsp, utilizing software with artificial intelligence elements.
The authorities in Pjongjang are watching closely the course of the war in Ukraine, where their usefulness has shown both the comparatively simple drones procured by Russia from Iran, as well as the lightly rebuilt by Ukrainians old reconnaissance jet aircraft, utilizing which they attack Russian industrial and military infrastructure sometimes hundreds of kilometres from the front line.
North Korea in this conflict supports Moscow by providing her with ammunition and conflict missiles. Iran, for akin assistance, can number on Russian supplies of the most modern Western weapons intercepted in Ukraine: for example, on 20 August 2022 in Tehran, Russian Il-76 landed with pallets with 140 million euro and Yankee and English anti-tank systems Javelin and NLAW Moscow has previously besides provided Iran with Stinger anti-aircraft systems. The Russians were besides to pay Iranians their own multitasking Su-30 fighters. It can be speculated whether Moscow paid only alleged oil supplies (which are subject to sanctions) and negotiations on the employment of 20-50 1000 North Korean workers in Russia appropriate and in the reconstruction of the Donetsk Basin, or supplies intercepted in the battlefield in Ukraine of Western military technology.
Ronald Lasecki
