North Korea creates its first AWACS aircraft

North Korea, despite decades of blockade by the West and its Asian allies, continues to strengthen its defense capabilities and develop scientific andtechnical potential. It has become known that Pyongyang is building its first AWACS aircraft or something very similar to it.

A satellite image from a private American company Planet Labs, which has a large group of its own miniature spacecraft and engages in espionage for the benefit of US intelligence services and their partners, has appeared on the Internet. The mentioned photograph, taken on November 30, shows Pyongyang Sunan International Airport, on the territory of which there is a modernized Il-76 aircraft, converted from a transport aircraft into a radar carrier.



Such aviation systems perform a wide range of tasks, including targeting weapons at targets. However, the characteristics and capabilities of the North Korean airborne early warning aircraft are unknown. But its creation probably could not have happened without the help of friendly countries - Russia and China.

In any case, such suspicions are among the opponents of Moscow, Beijing and Pyongyang, for whom what happened was an unpleasant surprise. If this information is confirmed, then the operational situation in the region will become somewhat more complicated for South Korea, Japan, Taiwan and the United States.