What aircraft are in service with the DPRK. Armed forces of the DPRK and South Korea: a comparison. composition, strength, armament of the army of the DPRK. Special Operations Forces

The first operation of the DPRK Air Force during the so-called. "War for the liberation of the Fatherland" (such official name war in Korea, marching in June 1950-July 1953) was the attack by Yak-9 fighters of aircraft stationed on the territory of Seoul international airport June 25, 1950 Before the start of the UN operation three months later, North Korean pilots in Yak-9 fighters had five confirmed air victories: one B-29, two L-5s, one F-80 and F-51D each, while not suffering losses . The situation completely changed when the air forces of the countries of the international coalition settled in the South, and the DPRK air forces were almost completely destroyed. The remaining aircraft were transferred across the Chinese border to the cities of Mukden and Anshan, where in November 1950, together with the Chinese Air Force, the United Air Force was created. The PRC continued to provide shelter and assistance to its southern neighbor, and by the end of hostilities in 1953, the CPV Air Force had approximately 135 MiG-15 fighters. A peace treaty between North and South Korea was never signed, and since then there has been a tenuous peace between the two camps.

From 1969 to this moment The DPRK Air Force is not very active, with the exception of individual false jet attacks in the area of ​​​​the Demilitarized Zone (DZ) / Line of Tactical Actions, which are supposedly aimed at testing the reaction time of the South Korean air defense. For example, since 2011, North Korean MiG-29 fighters have several times forced South Korean F-16s and F-15Ks to intercept.

Selection and training

Cadets for the Air Force are selected from other branches of the Armed Forces, called up or recruited on a voluntary basis. The aircrew are selected from the most successful members of the Youth Red Guard (composed of 17-25 year old young people) and usually come from politically influential families, distinguished by a higher educational level than the average North Korean.

The first step for those who want to become a military pilot in the DPRK is the Air Force Academy. Kim Chaeka in Chongjin, where cadets train for four years. Their flight service begins with 70 hours of flight practice on Nanchang CJ-6 training aircraft, which are Chinese copies of the Soviet Yak-18. 50 such aircraft were received in 1977-1978. They are based at two airfields on the east coast at Chongjin and Gyeongsong. Later, after receiving the rank of second lieutenant or "Sowi", cadets move on to a 22-month advanced course at the Gyeongsong Officers' Flight School. It includes 100 flight hours on MiG-15UTI combat training fighters (50 were purchased in 1953-1957) or approximately the same obsolete MiG-17 fighters, which are deployed at the nearby Oran air base.

After graduating from flight school with the rank of first lieutenant or "Jungwi", the freshly minted pilot is assigned to warhead for further two years of study, following which he is considered fully prepared. Future helicopter pilots are trained on Mi-2 helicopters, and transport aviation pilots on An-2. An officer can look forward to 30 years of service, but promotion to higher ranks, the highest of which is General of the Air Force or "Deajang", requires many additional courses, and the highest positions are political appointments.

Training follows rigid Soviet-era doctrine, and must conform to the highly centralized command and control structure of the Air Force. By interviewing defectors to South Korea, it becomes clear that poor aircraft maintenance, fuel shortages that limit flying time, and also a generally unsatisfactory training system prevent the training of pilots of the same level as their Western opponents.

Organization

The current structure of the DPRK Air Force includes headquarters, four aviation divisions, two tactical aviation brigades and such a number of sniper brigades (forces special purpose), which are designed to carry out a landing in the enemy rear in order to disorganize it during the hostilities.

The main headquarters is located in Pyongyang, it directly supervises the special flight detachment (VIP transportation), the Gyeongsong officer flight school, intelligence, electronic warfare, test units, as well as all air defense units of the DPRK Air Force.

Offensive and defensive weapons are part of three aviation divisions deployed in Kaesong, Deoksan and Hwangju, which are responsible for the use of numerous anti-aircraft artillery systems and air defense systems. The remaining air division in Oran is intended for operational training. Two tactical transport brigades have their headquarters in Tachon and Seondeok.

Aviation divisions and tactical brigades have at their disposal several airfields, almost all have fortified hangars, and some have individual elements of infrastructure hidden in the mountains. But not everyone is assigned "their" aircraft. The DPRK's war plan provides for the dispersal of aircraft from the main bases in order to complicate their destruction by a preventive strike.

The Air Force has not only "stationary" air bases at its disposal: the DPRK is entwined with a network of long and straight highways, which are crossed by other highways with the help of large concrete bridges. And although this can be observed in other countries, in the DPRK there is no private transport, moreover, women are even forbidden to drive a bicycle. Goods are transported by railway, and road transport is very low. Highways are designed for the rapid movement of military units across the country, as well as alternate airfields in case of war.

The main task of the DPRK Air Force is air defense, which is carried out by an automated airspace control system, which includes a network of radar stations located throughout the country and covering the air situation over the Korean Peninsula and southern China. The entire system consists of a single air defense district in which all operations are coordinated from the combat command post at the headquarters of the DPRK Air Force. The district is divided into four sector commands: northwestern, northeastern, southern, and the Pyongyang Air Defense Subsector. Each sector consists of a headquarters, an airspace control center, an early warning radar regiment(s), an air defense regiment(s), an air defense artillery division, and other independent air defense units. If an intruder is detected, the alarm is raised in the fighter units, the aircraft themselves take to the air, and the air defense system and flak take the target for escort. Further actions of air defense systems and artillery should be coordinated with the headquarters of fighter aviation and the combat command post.

The main nodes of the system are based around semi-mobile early warning radars, including Russian early warning radars and 5N69 guidance systems, two of which were delivered in 1984. These systems, whose declared detection range is 600 km, are supported by three ST-68U missile detection and control radars received in 1987-1988. They can simultaneously detect up to 100 air targets at a maximum range of 175 km and are optimized for detecting low-flying targets and guiding S-75 air defense missiles. Older P-10 systems, 20 of which entered service in 1953-1960, have a maximum detection range of 250 km, and five more relatively newer P-20 radars with the same detection range are elements of the radar field system. It includes at least 300 fire control radars for cannon artillery.

It is unlikely that the North Koreans have only these systems. North Korea often finds ways to circumvent international sanctions designed to prevent new weapons systems from falling into their hands.

Operational Doctrines

The actions of the DPRK Air Force, whose number reaches 100,000 people, are determined by two main provisions of the basic doctrine of the North Korean army: joint operations, the integration of guerrilla warfare with the actions of regular troops; and "war on two fronts": coordination of operations of regular troops, partisan actions, and actions of forces special operations deep in South Korea. Four main tasks of the Air Force follow from this: air defense of the country, landing of special operations forces, tactical air support for ground forces and fleet, transport and logistics tasks.

Armament

The solution to the first of the four tasks, air defense, lies with the fighter aviation, which consists of about 100 Shenyang F-5 fighters (Chinese copy of the MiG-17, 200 of which were received in the 1960s), the same number of Shenyang F-6 / Shenyang F-6C (Chinese version of the MiG-19PM), delivered in 1989-1991.

The F-7B fighter is a Chinese version of the later versions of the MiG-21. 25 MiG-21bis fighters remain in service, which are the remnants of those 30 former Kazakh Air Force vehicles illegally purchased in Kazakhstan in 1999. The DPRK Air Force received at least 174 MiG-21s of various modifications in 1966-1974. Approximately 60 MiG-23s, mainly modifications of the MiG-23ML were received in 1985-1987.

The most powerful DPRK fighters are the MiG-29B / UB, those that remained from the 45 purchased in 1988-1992. Approximately 30 of them were assembled at the Pakchon aircraft factory, which was specifically designed to assemble this particular type of aircraft. But the idea fell through due to the arms embrago imposed by Russia as a result of disputes over payments.

North Korean ingenuity is undeniable, and there is no reason to believe that, given the regime's focus on military issues, they can't keep planes that are long overdue in a scrap yard, as is the case with Iran. Of these aircraft, only the MiG-21, MiG-23 and MiG-29 are armed with air-to-air missiles: 50 R-27 (purchased in 1991), 450 R-23 (deliveries in 1985-1989) and 450 R-60s purchased at the same time. More than 1000 R-13 missiles (a Soviet copy of the American AIM-9 Sidewinder) were received in 1966-1974, but their service life should have expired by now. Additional deliveries may have taken place in violation of international sanctions.

The strike force is represented by up to 40 Nanchang A-5 Fantan-A attack aircraft delivered in 1982, the remaining 28-30 Su-7B fighter-bombers acquired in 1971, and up to 36 Su-25K / BK attack aircraft received at the end 1980s The DPRK maintains a significant number (80 or more) of Harbin H-5 front-line bombers (a Chinese copy of the Soviet Il-28) in flight condition, some of which belong to the reconnaissance modification of the HZ-5.

The direct support of the troops is carried out by most of the delivered in 1985-1986. 47 Mi-24D helicopters, of which only 20 are estimated to remain operational. They, like the Mi-2 helicopters, are armed with Malyutka and Fagot anti-tank missiles, produced in the DPRK under a Soviet license.

Part of the H-5 bombers are adapted to launch the North Korean version of the Chinese CSS-N-1 anti-ship cruise missile, designated the KN-01 Keumho-1. The missile has a range of 100-120 km, 100 were fired in 1969-1974. In 1986, five Mi-14PL anti-submarine helicopters were received, but their current condition is unknown.

It is believed that the DPRK has UAVs in service, it is also known that the Russian Malachite complex with ten Shmel-1 tactical UAVs was purchased in 1994. It will not be a surprise to learn that Pyongyang used them as models for the development of its own UAVs.

Logistic support is provided by Air Koryo, the state-owned air carrier, but at the same time being the transport regiment of the DPRK Air Force. Today, the airline's fleet consists of a single Il-18V (delivered in the 1960s), as well as three Il-76TDs (in operation since 1993). Other types of aircraft are represented by the An-24 family, four Il-62Ms, the same number of Tu-154Ms, and a pair of Tu-134s and Tu-204s. The company also operates an unknown number of helicopters. Although their main purpose is military, they carry a civilian registration, which allows them to fly outside the DPRK.

At present, there are no clear signs of North Korea's modernization of its aviation, despite the fact that a high-ranking North Korean procurement delegation visited Russia last August.

missile defense

Of course, the DPRK air defense system is based on three main "pillars" - air defense systems. This is the S-75 air defense system, in 1962-1980. 2000 missiles and 45 launchers were delivered, and this system is the most numerous. Many of them have recently been deployed near the 38th parallel, and most of the remaining ones protect three corridors - one along Kaesong, Sariwon, Pyongyang, Pakchon and Sinuiju on west coast. The other two pass through east coast between Wonsan, Hamheung and Sinpo, and between Chongjin and Najin.

In 1985, 300 missiles and eight launchers for S-125 air defense systems were delivered, most of them covering high-value objects, especially Pyongyang and military infrastructure. In 1987, four launchers and 48 S-200 SAM missiles were purchased. These long-range systems for medium and high altitudes use the same guidance radars as the S-75. Four regiments armed with this type of air defense system are deployed next to their counterparts with S-75 air defense systems (optimized to combat high-altitude targets).

Another numerous type of air defense system is the KN-06 - a local copy of the Russian two-digit S-300 air defense system. Its firing range is estimated at 150 km. This truck-mounted system was first publicly displayed at a military parade marking the 65th anniversary of the founding of the North Korean Workers' Party in October 2010.

Significant efforts are being expended on making it more difficult to destroy missile systems and their associated radars from the air. Most of North Korea's early warning, target tracking and missile guidance radars are located either in large underground WMD-proof concrete bunkers or in excavated mountain shelters. These facilities consist of tunnels, a control room, crew quarters, and blast-resistant steel doors. If necessary, the radar antenna is lifted to the surface by a special elevator. There are also many false radars and missile launchers, as well as spare sites for the air defense systems themselves.

The DPRK Air Force is also responsible for the use of MANPADS. The most numerous are MANPADS "Strela-2", but at the same time in 1978-1993. approximately 4,500 North Korean copies of the Chinese HN-5 MANPADS were delivered to the troops. In 1997, Russia gave the DPRK a license to manufacture 1,500 Igla-1 MANPADS. "Strela-2" is a first-generation MANPADS, which can only be induced by radiation practically infrared range, mostly engine exhaust. On the other hand, Igla-1 is equipped with a dual-mode (infrared and ultraviolet) guidance head, which can be aimed at less powerful radiation sources emanating from the aircraft airframe. Both systems are optimized for use against low-flying targets.

Speaking about artillery air defense systems, it should be noted that their backbone is the 100-mm KS-19 guns developed in the 1940s. 500 guns of this type were delivered in 1952-1980, followed by 24 guns in 1995. More deadly are about 400 self-propelled anti-aircraft guns - 57-mm ZSU-57 and 23-mm ZSU 23/4, received in 1968-1988. This arsenal covers big cities, ports, large enterprises. North Korea has also developed its own self-propelled 37mm anti-aircraft installation, which received the name M1992, which strongly resembles Chinese samples.

State is outcast

The existing weapons made it possible to create one of the densest air defense systems in the world. The emphasis on air defense systems and cannon artillery is a direct result of Pyongyang's inability to acquire modern fighter jets or even spare parts for the antiques that make up the bulk of the North Korean air force. Probing the positions of China and Russia in 2010 and 2011 was rejected by both countries. As a rogue state on the world stage, the CPV has gained a reputation as a non-binding payer for goods already delivered, and even China, which has been North Korea's ally and aide for many years, is showing irritation at its southern neighbor's demeanor. Much to Beijing's annoyance, it is deliberately refusing to create a market economy of the type that has proved so successful in China's reforms.

Maintaining the status quo and continuing to oppress their own people are the main driving forces behind the leaders of the DPRK. It turns out that it is much cheaper to create or threaten to create nuclear weapons, which can harass and threaten potential external aggressors than to buy and maintain modern military forces. The North Korean leadership was quick to learn from the fate of Colonel Gaddafi, who succumbed to Western demands and destroyed his nuclear capability and other weapons of mass destruction by joining the "good guys" club.

Korean peninsula

The second task facing the DPRK Air Force is to deploy special operations forces to the Korean Peninsula. It is estimated that there are up to 200,000 men in the North Korean army who are called upon to carry out such a task. The landing is largely carried out thanks to 150 An-2 transport aircraft and its Chinese counterpart Nanchang / Shijiazhuang Y-5. In the 1980s about 90 Hughes 369D/E helicopters were secretly purchased to circumvent sanctions, and it is believed that today 30 of them are still capable of taking off. This type of helicopter makes up a large part of South Korea's air fleet, and if special operations forces infiltrate south of the border, they can confuse the ranks of the defenders. Interestingly, South Korea also has an unknown number of An-2s, presumably with similar tasks.

The next largest type of helicopter in service with the PRCDR is the Mi-2, of which there are about 70. But they have a very small payload. Probably, the Mi-4 veteran is also in service in small quantities. the only modern types helicopters are the Mi-26, four copies of which were received in 1995-1996. and 43 Mi-8T/MTV/Mi-17, at least eight of which were obtained illegally from Russia in 1995.

Should we be afraid of North Korea?

The North Korean military exists solely to protect the Fatherland and threaten to invade South Korea. Any such invasion would begin with a massive attack from the South from low altitudes, with special operations air forces deployed across the front lines to “shut down” strategic installations before a ground offensive across the Demilitarized Zone (DZ). Although such a threat may seem fantastic due to the state of the DPRK air force, it cannot be completely discounted. The importance that South Korea attaches to its own defense testifies to this. Over the past twenty years, four new North Korean air bases have been established near the DZ, reducing the flight time to Seoul to a few minutes. Seoul itself is a major target, one of the largest cities in the world with a population of over 10 million. More than half of South Korea's population lives in the surrounding agglomeration of Incheon and Gyeonggi Province, which is the second largest in the world: 25 million people live here and most of the country's industry is located.

There is no doubt that even if the North suffers huge losses as a result of the conflict, it will also be devastating for the South. The shock to the global economy will also be severe. It is worth mentioning that at the end of 2010, when the northerners shelled the South Korean island, there were also major maneuvers during which a large-scale air raid was practiced, which was supposedly an imitation of a large-scale war. The result, to some extent, turned into a farce, as during the exercise there were collisions of aircraft, low reliability, weak command and control, and an unsystematic plan were revealed.

No one can say in which direction the current leader of the DPRK, Kim Jong-un, will lead the country, and to what extent he is just a puppet in the hands of the old guard, who has usurped power. What you can be sure of is that there are no signs of change on the horizon. And the world community looks at the country with suspicion, and the latest nuclear tests on February 12, 2013, only strengthened it in this.

Combat personnel of the DPRK Air Force. According toAir forceIntelligence as amended by the ACT Center

Originalpublications: Air Forces Monthly, April 2013 - Sergio Santana

Translation by Andrey Frolov

Air Defense and Aviation of North Korea is represented by
KN-06 aka 번개-5호 aka Pon "gae-6 - 16 S-300 PT vehicles were purchased from an unnamed country along with documentation for the production of 5V55KD missiles. It's just that technologically they can do just that. Then art deco processing was done. To hide where the firewood comes from. The radar imitating the radar from the HQ-9 and S-300V is just an imitation and a flare emitter. The real guidance comes from the 5N63 installation, which stands on the sidelines :). The stock of missiles is already more than 200 missiles. What can the S-300 PT ? 6 target and 12 missile channels. Range from 5 to 75 km, height up to 27 km. The acquisition took place by barter - slaves in the Russian Federation in exchange for complexes from Ukraine. :)
S-200 75 missiles BUT, how many of them will fly is a big question, they are not produced, and the resource has long ended. Most likely, if the pair takes off already cool. So purely radar.
S-125 300 missiles and the same BUT.
S-75, but the production of these 11D missiles is in both versions. A total of 180 launchers, and more than 2,000 missiles in stock. the disadvantages of this system are that their radio command guidance is well suppressed. Range up to 34 km, at an altitude of up to 27 km. Missile speed Mach 3. This is the main air defense of the DPRK.
There were 75 S-25 missiles in 1961, but this has long been gone. These are essentially purely radar stations. How many of them are working...
Kub-M1 - there were 18 pieces. Why was it? Because missiles are not produced for them. So it’s also purely radar with mockups.
Buk-M1 - 8 pieces from an unnamed country. There are no those docks for missiles. Rockets were sold 50 pieces. It is capable of hitting aircraft from 3 to 35 km, missiles - 25 km at a height of 22 km, the maximum speed of targets is 800 m / s. Julia? You? How can you :)
Also in the DPRK, copies of the 9K38 Igla MANPADS are being made with a range of up to 5 kilometers. They could even be seen in Syria. In total, more than 1000 complexes were manufactured, but most of them were sold.
We have old arrows. But they will shoot from them from the strength of 100 or even less.
there are 1200 barrels of 23 mm anti-aircraft guns (in assemblies of 2,4,6,8) and the production of cartridges for them.
Aviation
of all Aviation, the real threat is
MiG-29 is 30 vehicles 9-12A aka MiG-29A and 5 vehicles 9-51 aka MiG-29UB without radar. Of which about 23 vehicles are combat ready. And also there is a sufficient supply of ammunition for them. Which is updated a little through the illegal market.
MiG-23 is 48 MiG-23MF and 8 MiG-23UB vehicles. BUT .... Of these, 18 MiG-23MF vehicles are combat-ready. And two MiG-23UBs can take off and land.
Su-25 is 26 simple and 8 UB. Almost all of them fly, but only now they are still attack aircraft.
The rest is flying garbage, most of which is no longer flying originals and Chinese copies of the MiG-15, MiG-17, MiG-19, MiG-21, Il-28, Su-7, An-2. They are suitable only for museums, well, or as flying targets. In total, there are 700 such targets in the open media. Which of course is complete nonsense. MiG-15 and MiG-17 - 60 years. Their engines have long since exhausted their resources. If a few pieces for a museum look go up, that's already cool. MiG-19 45 years old. here, well, two dozen can take off. IL-28 is the same. There were fewer of them. Su-7 was not enough if one takes off cool. MiG-21 officially it was 26 pieces. But spare parts for them can still be obtained easily. Therefore, there are 20 of them flying. But which one is the rival for the F-16 or F-15K ... funny. An-2 ... corncob ... with a machine gun ... arctic fox. In total, there are 80 such aircraft targets in the sky, if they raise it, it will be a fascinating shooting of targets :).
So 41 cars that can really fight in the air. 43 cars that can try to show the attack and die. That's all Air Force.
Oh yes, helicopters.
Mi-24 is listed as 20, flies 12. Mi-14 is listed as 8 flies 3. Mi-8 is listed as 40 flies 32. Polish copies of Mi-2 are listed as 46 flies 12.
But the main helicopter is unexpectedly the American MD500, also known as the Hughes OH-6 Cayuse, and yes it is produced in the DPRK. How do you like these pies? The basis of the North Korean helicopter forces is the AMERICAN MILITARY helicopter. At the same time, not only the helicopters themselves were sold to the DPRK, but also a complete set of technical documentation, including the Allison Model 250 engine. In my opinion, this is enchanting :). Armament or two blocks of 70 mm nurses with 7 missiles each. Or two 12.7 mm machine guns. Either other NURS units of the same size and weight, or 4 ATGMs of the Kornet type. 5 passengers.
At the moment, 96 cars have been produced and all are active. The armament of this helicopter, of course, has nothing to do with air defense, but it can be rather unpleasant for the enemy. The DPRK has no problems with NURS, since they are not difficult to manufacture and are produced.
The air defense fleet is practically absent and is represented only by anti-aircraft machine guns, and even those are only 300 barrels.
Of the above, from the point of view of air defense, only kits provided in the course of cooperation with the Russian Federation pose a serious threat.
Namely, S-300PT disguised as KN-06 up to 75 km, Buk-M1 up to 35 km, and S-75 up to 34 km. In addition, 41 MiG-29 and MiG-23 aircraft with a full range of ammunition. In addition, for low-flying targets at altitudes up to 5 km, the danger is the high saturation of Igla-1 MANPADS, 43 Su-25 and MiG-21 aircraft and 140 OH-6, Mi-24, Mi-8 helicopters.
However, this state of affairs is only due to the repair problem existing in the DPRK. The DPRK has its own CNC and they were supplied to the Russian Federation. However, the level of materials science is at the level of the 1970s and has failures. This leads to the fact that not everyone can manufacture engine parts for the MiG-23 in the DPRK. There are also technological failures - the DPRK cannot fix the radar of the MiG-29, but it can fix it for the MiG-19. They can repair any body part of the MiG-29, but they are not able to repair the engine. They can make an allison 250 engine, but they can't do anything with a MiG-21 engine.
The key industries for the DPRK are materials science, engine physics, locators, and their allies - which is why so many students from the DPRK study it. When they master this they will need a number of equipment that they have already purchased and are purchasing. Then they will be able to lift many of the landed machines. However, this will increase the number of dangerous cars by only 80%.
But time does not only work for the DPRK. The thing is that the DPRK has mastered the production of serious missiles that raise the air defense radius of the DPRK from 35 to 75 kilometers. And it's a matter of time when there will be more.
Already at the current moment, the ROK itself is not capable of suppressing the air defense of the DPRK without serious losses. However, for a coalition with a powerful fleet and a ground segment, which will increase the concentration of means of destroying air defense by five times, it will allow blocking the DPRK within the territory of the North, preventing a breakthrough through the DMZ not only by land but also by air.
The forces of the coalition, in the form in which it is possible, if there is a war within a year from the current one, it is enough to destroy aircraft in three days of fighting, helicopters in a month, to suppress air defense in a month in safe combat mode. However, this requires massive missile strikes throughout the territory of the DPRK. For which the RK does not have enough strength on its own. A much higher saturation of air defense in the region is needed - which would allow the safe operation of flights by the aviation of the South and the Coalition. Otherwise, there will be losses.

Armed forces of the countries of the world

Despite the very weak economy and the almost complete international isolation of the DPRK, its Armed Forces (KPA - Korean People's Army) remain one of the largest and strongest in the world. The KPA is being built under the slogans "Juche" ("self-reliance") and "Songun" ("everything for the army"). During the Cold War, North Korea received military aid from the USSR and China. At present, this assistance has completely stopped: from Russia - due to the low solvency of Pyongyang, from China - because of its extreme dissatisfaction with the policy of the DPRK. Practically the only partner of the DPRK in the military field is Iran, with which there is a constant exchange of military technologies. At the same time, Pyongyang continues to develop its nuclear missile program and maintain a huge conventional force. The country has a developed military-industrial complex capable of producing almost all classes of military equipment: missiles, tanks, armored personnel carriers, artillery pieces and MLRS, warships, boats and submarines, both based on foreign projects and our own designs. Only airplanes and helicopters have not been created in the DPRK, although it is possible to assemble them from foreign components (if any).

Due to the extreme secrecy of North Korea, information about its armed forces, especially about the number of equipment, is approximate and estimated, and this is how they should be approached.

Rocket troops KPA include a significant number of ballistic missiles of various ranges.

Special Operations Forces The KPA are at least the fourth largest in the world (after the USA, China, Russia), and perhaps even the second after the American ones. CCOs include three components.

Special forces of the ground forces - 12 brigades, 25 battalions.

Airborne - 7 brigades, 1 battalion.

Marine special forces - 2 brigades.

Ground troops, whose number is almost 1 million people, are divided into 4 strategic echelons. Includes up to 20 cases.

The tank fleet of the KPA has up to 4,000 main tanks and at least 250 light tanks.

There are more than 1.7 thousand infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers.

The total number of self-propelled guns, towed guns and mortars can reach 10 thousand units. The number of MLRS exceeds 5 thousand units.

In terms of the number of almost all classes of equipment, the KPA ground forces occupy at least 4th place in the world. Such a huge amount of it largely compensates for its archaism. This is especially true for artillery, in terms of the number of barrels of which the KPA is in second place in the world after the PLA. North Korean artillery is capable of creating a real “sea of ​​fire” in the frontline zone, but it is physically impossible to suppress such an amount of artillery.

air force The DPRK organizationally consists of 6 air divisions and 3 anti-aircraft missile brigades.

There are up to 200 bombers and attack aircraft, up to 600 fighters, more than 300 training aircraft, up to 300 helicopters for various purposes.

All ground air defense is included in the Air Force. It includes up to 80 divisions of air defense systems, up to 6 thousand MANPADS, up to 11 thousand ZSU and anti-aircraft guns.

Almost all the equipment of the KPA Air Force and Air Defense is extremely outdated. To a certain extent, this compensates large quantity, but in this case the quantity factor is much less important than for ground forces. However, the actions of any enemy aircraft at low altitudes will be extremely difficult due to the mountainous terrain and the huge number of MANPADS and anti-aircraft guns in the North Korean air defense. Old aircraft may well be used as kamikaze, incl. and with nuclear weapons.

Navy The DPRK is divided into the Western Fleet (includes 5 naval regions, 6 squadrons) and the Eastern Fleet (7 VMR, 10 squadrons). Due to geopolitical reasons, the exchange of ships between fleets is impossible even in peacetime, so each fleet relies on its own shipbuilding base.

In terms of the number of combat units, the DPRK Navy may be the largest in the world, but almost all of these units are extremely primitive. In particular, North Korean ships and boats do not have air defense systems at all. However, for operations in coastal waters, the DPRK Navy has a very significant potential. Their strongest point is the presence of a large number of small submarines capable of both landing spetsnaz groups on the enemy coast and acting against enemy ships in shallow water. In the course of regular skirmishes between North Korean and South Korean combat boats, as a rule, the advantage is on the side of the former.

There are up to 100 submarines of various classes, at least two patrol ships (frigates), up to 30 corvettes, up to 40 missile boats.

The DPRK Navy is practically the only fleet in the world that continues to massively operate torpedo boats (at least 100 units). There are up to 200 patrol boats, up to 30 minesweepers, more than 300 landing ships and boats.

Coastal defense covers the entire coast of the DPRK. It consists of 6 brigades.

In general, the noticeable technical backwardness of the KPA is largely compensated by the huge amount of weapons, equipment and personnel, the good level of combat training and the fanaticism of the military. In addition, KPA is very well adapted to operations in conditions highlands occupying most of the Korean peninsula. This makes her the most dangerous opponent even for three the strongest armies world (American, Chinese, Russian) and completely invincible for everyone else.

More than half a century ago, one of the bloodiest military conflicts of the second half of the last century, the war on the Korean Peninsula, ended. It lasted more than three years and claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. After it, 80% of the transport and industrial infrastructure of both Korean states were destroyed, millions of Koreans lost their homes or became refugees. Legally, this war continued for many more decades, since the reconciliation and non-aggression pact between South Korea and the DPRK was signed only in 1991.

Since then, the Korean Peninsula has remained a constant hotbed of tension. The situation in this region either calms down, or again heats up to a dangerous degree, threatening to escalate into the Second Korean War, into which neighboring countries, including the United States and China, will inevitably be drawn. The situation worsened even more after Pyongyang received nuclear weapons. Now every missile or nuclear test, which is being carried out by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, causes serious international excitement. AT recent times such exacerbations occur with a frequency of once every one to two years.

In 2019, the next Korean crisis coincided with the beginning of the work of the new US President Donald Trump, who, during the election campaign, promised the Americans once and for all to solve the problem of the DPRK. However, despite the bellicose rhetoric and a significant buildup of strike forces in the region, the Americans did not dare to start a large-scale war on the peninsula. What is the reason? Why american army- certainly the most powerful on the planet today - did not dare to start hostilities?

The answer is very simple. For more than sixty years, the North Koreans have managed to create one of the strongest and most numerous armies in the world, the fight against which will be a serious test for any enemy. Today, the DPRK has a million people under arms, a large air force, ballistic missiles and an impressive submarine fleet.

North Korea is the last communist totalitarian state on the planet, in terms of the severity of the regime, it even surpasses the USSR of the Stalinist period. A planned economy still operates here, famine occurs from time to time, dissenters are sent to concentration camps, and public executions for North Koreans are a common thing.

North Korea is a closed country, foreigners rarely visit it, and information about the state of the North Korean economy is classified. It is even more difficult to obtain information about the North Korean army, its size and weapons.

According to experts, the DPRK army today ranks fourth (some say fifth) in the world in terms of numbers. The parade of the DPRK army is a truly impressive spectacle that takes the viewer back to the last century. North Korea has long been under international sanctions, which are periodically intensified after Pyongyang conducts another missile launch or nuclear explosion.

The military budget of North Korea is small due to the disastrous economic situation this country. In 2013, it was only $5 billion. However, over the past decades, the DPRK has been turned into one huge military camp, constantly waiting for attack from South Korea or the United States.

So, what forces does the current leadership of the DPRK have at its disposal, what are the armed forces of this country, what is the nuclear potential of Pyongyang? However, before proceeding to consider the current state of the armed forces of North Korea, a few words should be said about their history.

History of the DPRK Army

The first Korean paramilitaries were created in the early 30s of the last century in China. They were led by the Communists and the Koreans fought against the Japanese invaders. By the end of World War II, the Korean People's Army had 188,000 men. One of the commanders of the army was Kim Il Sung - the actual creator of the DPRK and the first of the Kim dynasty, which ruled for almost half a century.

After the end of the war, Korea was divided into two halves - the northern one, which was under the control of the USSR, and the southern one, which was actually occupied by American troops. On June 25, 1950, North Korean troops, having a significant superiority in manpower and equipment, crossed the 38th parallel and moved south. Initially, the campaign was very successful for the North: Seoul fell three days later, and soon the communist armed forces captured up to 90% of the territory of South Korea.

Only a small area, known as the Busan Perimeter, remained under the control of the South Korean government. However, the northerners failed to defeat the enemy with lightning speed, and soon the Western allies came to the aid of the South Koreans.

In September 1950, the Americans intervened in the war, encircling and defeating the North Korean army in a matter of weeks. Only a miracle could save the DPRK from complete defeat, and it happened. At the end of 1950, a Chinese army of thousands crossed the North Korean border and pushed the Americans and South Koreans far to the south. Seoul and Pyongyang returned to the control of the North.

The fighting continued with varying success until 1953, by which time the front line had more or less stabilized around old border two Koreas - the 38th parallel. The turning point of the war was the death of Stalin, shortly after which the Soviet Union decided to withdraw from the conflict. China, left alone with the Western coalition, agreed to a truce. But the peace treaty, which usually ends any armed conflict, between the DPRK and the Republic of Korea has not yet been signed.

Over the following decades, North Korea continued to build communism, with the Soviet Union and China as its main allies. All this time, the North Koreans have invested heavily in the development of the armed forces and the military-industrial complex. The situation in North Korea deteriorated significantly after the collapse of the socialist camp and the introduction of Western sanctions against the country. In 2013, during another aggravation, the leadership of the DPRK tore up all non-aggression pacts with its southern neighbor, and also annulled the treaty on the denuclearization of the peninsula.

According to various estimates, the current strength of the DPRK army ranges from 850,000 to 1.2 million people. Another 4 million people are in direct reserve, in total, 10 million people are fit for military service. The population of the DPRK is 24.7 million people. That is, 4-5% of the population serves in the North Korean armed forces, which can be called a real world record.

The North Korean army is conscripted, both men and women serve in it. The service life is from 5 to 12 years. The draft age is 17 years.

The overall leadership of the power and defense sphere of North Korea, according to the country's constitution, is carried out by the State Defense Committee (GKO), headed by the current leader of the country, Kim Jong-un. The GKO controls the work of the Ministry of People's Armed Forces, as well as other law enforcement agencies. It is the Defense Committee that can declare martial law in the country, conduct mobilization and demobilization, manage reserves and the military-industrial complex. The Ministry of War consists of several departments: Political, Operational and Logistics Department. The direct operational control of the armed forces of the DPRK is carried out by the General Staff.

The armed forces of the DPRK consist of:

• ground forces;
• Navy;
• Air Force;
• Forces of special operations.

In addition, the Ministry of State Security and the Ministry of Public Security have their own troops. There are also other paramilitary formations: the Workers' and Peasants' Red Guard, the Youth Red Guard, and various people's squads.

Most (and the best) part of the country's armed forces is deployed in close proximity to the demilitarized zone.

North Korea has a highly developed military-industrial complex. It is able to provide the country's armed forces with almost the entire range of weapons and ammunition, with the exception of combat and transport aircraft.

Ground troops

The basis of the armed forces of the DPRK is the ground forces. The main structural associations of the ground forces are the brigade, division, corps and army. Currently, the North Korean army includes 20 corps, including 4 mechanized, 12 infantry, one armored, 2 artillery and a corps that provides the defense of the capital.

Figures regarding the amount of military equipment in service with the ground forces of the DPRK army vary greatly. In the event of war, North Korean generals will be able to count on 4,200 tanks (light, medium and main), 2,500 armored personnel carriers, and 10,000 artillery pieces and mortars (according to other sources, 8,800).

In addition, the ground forces of the DPRK are armed with a large number of jet systems salvo fire (from 2.5 thousand to 5.5 thousand units). The North Korean Armed Forces have both operational-tactical and tactical missile systems, their total number is 50-60 units. The army of the DPRK is armed with more than 10 thousand anti-aircraft artillery installations and about the same number of MANPADS.

If we talk about armored vehicles, then most of it is represented by obsolete Soviet models or their Chinese copies: tanks T-55, PT-85, Pokphunho (local modification), BMP-1, BTR-60 and BTR-80, BTR-40 (several hundred pieces) and VTT-323, created on the basis of the Chinese BMP VTT-323. There is information that the Korean People's Army is still using even the Soviet T-34-85, preserved from the Korean War.

The North Korean ground forces have a large number of different anti-tank missile systems, most of them are old Soviet models: "Baby", "Bumblebee", "", "".

Air Force

The Air Force of the Korean People's Army is approximately 100 thousand people. Service life in the Air Force and Air Defense Forces is 3-4 years.

The DPRK Air Force consists of four commands, each of which is responsible for its own direction, and six aviation divisions. In service air force There are 1.1 thousand aircraft and helicopters in the country, which makes them one of the most numerous in the world. The North Korean Air Force has 11 air bases, most of which are located near the South Korean border.

The basis of the Air Force fleet is made up of obsolete Soviet or Chinese-made aircraft: MiG-17, MiG-19, MiG-21, as well as Su-25 and MiG-29. The same can be said about combat helicopters, the vast majority of them are Soviet vehicles, Mi-4, Mi-8 and Mi-24. There are also 80 Hughes-500D helicopters.

North Korea has a fairly powerful air defense system, which includes about 9 thousand different anti-aircraft artillery systems. True, all North Korean air defense systems are Soviet complexes of the 60s or 70s of the last century: S-75, S-125, S-200, Kub air defense systems. It should be noted that the DPRK has a lot of these complexes (about a thousand units).

Naval Forces

The Navy of North Korea has a strength of approximately 60 thousand people (as of 2012). It is divided into two components: the East Sea Fleet (operating in the Sea of ​​Japan) and the West Sea Fleet (designed to solve combat missions in the Gulf of Korea and the Yellow Sea).

Today, the North Korean Navy includes approximately 650 ships, their total displacement exceeds 100,000 tons. North Korea has a fairly powerful submarine fleet. It consists of about a hundred submarines different type and displacement. The North Korean submarine fleet is capable of carrying ballistic missiles with a nuclear warhead.

Most of the ship composition of the DPRK Navy is represented by boats of various types: missile, torpedo, artillery and landing. However, there are also larger vessels: five corvettes with guided missiles, almost two dozen small anti-submarine ships. The main task of the naval forces of North Korea is to cover the coast and the coastal zone.

Special Operations Forces

Probably, the DPRK has the most numerous Special Operations Forces in the world. Various sources estimate their number from 80,000 to 125,000 servicemen. The tasks of the forces include reconnaissance and sabotage operations, countering the special forces of the United States and South Korea, organizing partisan movement behind enemy lines.

The DPRK MTR includes reconnaissance units, light infantry and sniper units.

Rocket troops

In 2005, North Korea officially announced the creation of its own nuclear weapons. Since then, one of the priorities of the country's military-industrial complex has been the creation of missiles capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.

Part missile weapons DPRK Armed Forces - old Soviet missiles or their copies. For example, "Hwaseong-11" or "Doksa" - tactical missile, a copy of the Soviet "Point-U" with a range of 100 km or "Hwaseong-5" - analogue Soviet rocket R-17 with a range of 300 km.

However, most North Korean missiles are of their own design. North Korea manufactures ballistic missiles not only for the needs of its army, but also actively exports them. Foreign experts believe that over the past 20 years, Pyongyang has sold about 1.2 thousand ballistic missiles various types. Among its buyers are Egypt, Pakistan, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Syria and Yemen.

Today, the armed forces of the DPRK are:

• Hwaseong-6 short-range missile, commissioned in 1990. It is an improved modification of the Hwaseong-5 missile with a range of up to 700 km. Between 300 and 600 of these missiles are believed to be currently in service;
• Hwaseong-7 medium-range missile. Adopted in 1997, can hit targets at a distance of 1300 km;
• Medium-range missile "No-Dong-2", it was put into service in 2004, its flight range is 2 thousand km;
• Hwaseong-10 medium-range ballistic missile. It has been in service since 2009, the flight range is up to 4.5 thousand km. It is believed that today Pyongyang may have up to 200 of these missiles;
• Intercontinental ballistic missile "Hwaseong-13" with a range of up to 7.5 thousand km. It was first shown at the parade in 2012. "Hwaseong-13" can reach the territory of the United States, which naturally causes great concern among the Americans. It should also be noted that the DPRK is a member of the club of space states. At the end of 2012, the artificial satellite"Kwangmyeongseong-3".

If you have any questions - leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them.

North Korea threatens US with preventive nuclear strike. Assessing the capabilities of North Korea in a probable military conflict with the United States. The real nuclear potential of the DPRK. What is the error of analysts who assess today the nuclear potential of the DPRK. The blow may come from where it is least expected. The DPRK will defeat the US Navy fleets and destroy their main bases on Pacific Ocean.

Laugh, laugh, couch analysts from the State Department, who consider the main strength of the Korean People's Army the number of its personnel. Only then, if anything, do not be surprised.

The North Korean army is called upon to fight two main enemies - South Korea and the United States. And its capabilities imply not just resistance to the aggressor, but inflicting a military defeat on it in the region, and in a short time.

Five virtues of the DPRK and the Korean People's Army proper

1. The main advantage of the Korean People's Army of the DPRK is by no means its numbers and weapons, which are largely outdated, but have not lost their ability to cause destruction. And not even the presence of nuclear weapons and carriers.

The main advantage of the KPA and its advantage over potential adversaries is the presence in the country state ideology.

The North Koreans are devoted to their country, the ideals of socialism and their leaders, the last of which is Kim Jong-un, who is tirelessly slandered by the Western media, presenting him as an inadequate politician and tyrant who shoots his guilty subordinates with mortars. The last one is a clear throw.

In terms of discipline and morale, the KPA is superior to its opponents, this is the main advantage.

2. The second main advantage of the DPRK is its own military-industrial complex, capable of autonomously and serially producing various types of weapons, including intercontinental ballistic missiles, medium and short-range missiles, missile systems salvo fire, ships and submarines, tanks, armored personnel carriers, self-propelled artillery mounts, howitzers, mortars, portable anti-aircraft missile systems, anti-tank missiles, small arms and cartridges, in short, everything except aircraft. There is no aircraft industry in the military-industrial complex of the DPRK yet. They are also capable of developing new types of weapons, including nuclear.

There are about 200 underground factories in the country in its mountainous part, producing all types of components and weapons for land and missile troops capable of operating autonomously for a long time in a nuclear war.

The DPRK is an arms exporting country, the main buyers are the countries of Africa and Asia, the export of the military-industrial complex as of 2015 is estimated at 100 million US dollars by the US Federal Reserve.

3. The third advantage of the DPRK is the actual armament of the KPA.

Today, according to data from various sources, the KPA is armed with:

Rocket troops.

Hwaseong-5 and Hwaseong-6 short-range missiles (an improved version of the R-17 "Scud") - at least 600 units.

Medium-range missiles Nodon and Musudan (an improved version of the Soviet SLBM-27 with a launch range of 2700-4000 km) - at least 200 units.

Intercontinental ballistic missiles Taepkhodong with a launch range of 10 - 12 thousand km - about 100 units.

Ground Forces of the KPA. The numbers are impressive.

Artillery pieces - about 21,000 units.

Multiple launch rocket systems, various types, including 240 mm caliber (similar to "Hurricane") - about 4,000 units in total. The main striking force of the SV KPA.

Self-propelled guns "Koksan" and "Juche Po", modern, caliber 170, 152 and 122 mm - about 2000 units.

Tanks - about 3,500 units, mostly Soviet T-55 and T-62, but there are the latest secret tanks of our own production, close to the T-90 in their characteristics, about 200 units. And about 3000 more obsolete and quite modern armored vehicles.

Air defense of the DPRK - outdated Soviet air defense systems, S-125 and S-200, up to two regiments, anti-aircraft guns (up to 10,000 units), MANPADS - also up to 10,000 units. Let me remind you that the newest "stealth aircraft" F-117 of the US Air Force was shot down from an outdated C-125.

Navy of the DPRK

The DPRK fleet includes 3 URO frigates (2 Najin, 1 Soho), 2 destroyers, 18 small anti-submarine ships, 4 Soviet submarines of project 613, 23 Chinese and domestic submarines of project 033.

The latter are carriers of Musudan SLBM missiles with a launch range of up to 4,000 km.

In addition, 29 small submarines of the Sang-O project, more than 20 midget submarines, 34 missile boats.

The DPRK is armed with fire support boats, 56 large and more than 100 small patrol boats, 10 Hante small landing ships (capable of carrying 3-4 light tanks), up to 120 landing boats (including about 100 Nampo, created by based on the Soviet P-6 torpedo boat) and about 130 hovercraft.

DPRK Air Force

The data is classified, but according to most experts, the DPRK army is armed with 523 fighters and 80 bombers.

Including Soviet MiG-29 and Su-25.

I will also return to the DPRK Air Force below.

4. The fourth advantage of the KPA of the DPRK is its strength and combat readiness.

In percentage terms, North Korea's army is the largest in the world. With a population of 24.5 million people, the country's armed forces number 1.1 million people (4.5% of the population). The army of the DPRK is recruited, the service life is 5-10 years.

In 2015, the DPRK leadership decided that the North Korean army should increase dramatically in numbers. To do this, the country has introduced compulsory military service for women who have so far served on a voluntary basis. From now on, all girls who have reached the age of 17 are required to serve in the army. However, some concessions were made to women: the service life of Korean women will be "only" 3 years.

And that's just KPA.

The DPRK also has a worker-peasant army (reservists) - up to 3.5 million people.

The DPRK ground forces have several defense echelons (offensive)

The first one is located on the border with South Korea. It includes infantry and artillery formations. In the event of a possible war, they must break through the South Korean border fortifications, or not allow enemy troops to go deep into the state.

The second echelon is behind the first. It consists of ground forces, tank and mechanized formations. His actions also depend on who starts the war first. If North Korea, then the second echelon will move deep into the South Korean defenses, including the capture of Seoul. If the DPRK is attacked, then the second echelon will have to eliminate the enemy's breakthroughs.

The task of the third echelon is in the defense of Pyongyang. It is also a training and reserve base for the first two echelons.

The fourth echelon is located on the border with China and Russia. It belongs to training-reserve connections. It is customary to call it the "echelon of last resort."

It follows that the combat readiness of the KPA is at a very high level. In fact, the country lives in a state of war.

Special mention should be made of the troops of the Special Operations Forces (SOF) of the KPA.

The number of SOF DPRK is about 120,000 people. Their spirit and level of training exceeds the boundaries of reason.

On September 18, 1996, a KPA Navy Shark-class submarine ran aground near the city of Gangneung on the east coast of South Korea. The crew members and special forces on board tried to get out by land. They were asked to surrender, to which fire was opened in response.

During the battles with the enemy, 13 fighters died in battle, another 11 special forces committed suicide, and only one managed to break out of the encirclement and break into the DPRK through the demilitarized zone.

The DPRK MTR is the elite of the country, the North Korean special forces are ready to carry out any task, including on the American continent, and, if necessary, die on orders.

5. And, finally, the fifth advantage of the KPA of the DPRK is the presence of nuclear weapons.

Only the fifth, not the first and not the second.

Five shortcomings or weaknesses of the KPA DPRK

1. Limited fuel resources will allow for deployed fighting no more than a month.

2. The impossibility of Pyongyang holding a long-term defense due to insufficient food.

3. There are no means of modern technical reconnaissance, which reduces the effectiveness of artillery fire;

4. Coastal defense is carried out with the help of obsolete missiles, and the fleet as a whole is not distinguished by autonomy and secrecy.

5. None modern air force, modern systems Air defense, and the available means will allow to counteract the enemy forces for only a few days.

Nuclear program of the DPRK

You need to write a separate article about this, but there is enough similar material on the net.

Short

In 1980, the DPRK began building its own Magnox 5 MW(e) reactor and fuel assembly plant. At the same time, a plant for refining uranium ore (to UO2) was built in Pyansan. Since 1985, the construction of a 50 MW(e) reactor at Nengbyon, a 200 MW(e) at Taechon, and an SNF reprocessing facility at Nengbyon has been underway.

On January 10, 2003, the DPRK officially notified the Chairman of the UN Security Council and the participants in the NPT about the abandonment of the decision to suspend the procedure for withdrawing from the Treaty, which it had taken on June 11, 1993.

The motivation is the need to protect the highest national interests in the face of "increasing hostile policies and pressure" from the United States. The DPRK believes that since January 11, 2003, it is formally free from obligations under the NPT, as well as under the safeguards agreement with the IAEA.

I think that the main mistake of all experts assessing the current nuclear potential of the DPRK is that they estimate the amount of possible accumulated weapons-grade plutonium.

They estimate the number of nuclear weapons charges at 12-23 today.

However, for some reason, everyone forgot about uranium warheads. But in vain.

Back in the 1950s, it was known that North Korea had up to 26 million tons of uranium reserves, of which about 4 million tons were suitable for industrial development.

At the end of the 20th century, the DPRK acquired Pakistani centrifuges for separating uranium isotopes, copied them, mass-produced (over 2000 centrifuges in 1999) and reached the level of concentrate production (80%) - up to 200 tons per year.

Isotope separation lines even then made it possible to produce annually up to 500 kg of weapons-grade uranium enriched in the 235 isotope up to 93%.

The news broke today:

By 2020, Pyongyang can create up to 79 nuclear warheads. This conclusion was made by the head of the planning department of the Institute named after King Sejong the Great Lee Sang-hyun, based on the estimated amount of nuclear material available in the North.

Development of the nuclear program in long term is not a rational choice, but quite justified in the short term, the expert said at a seminar on October 18, presenting a strategy for achieving denuclearization in the UK. According to Lee Sang Hyun, the North could accumulate 300 kg of highly enriched uranium and up to 50 kg of plutonium. Considering this, it can be assumed that Pyongyang will be able to produce 4-8 warheads per year.

These are the assessments given by "experts" in the West, by the way, the experts are Koreans. Only they are southern.

Plutonium production is carried out in nuclear reactors, and their work, even if they are hidden, can be detected from satellites, but the production of weapons-grade uranium, if carried out deep underground, can be hidden, guided by common sense, necessity and expediency.

The common sense here is that the produced weapons-grade uranium can also be used for peaceful purposes, diluting it depleted to the reactor level (4%) and then manufacturing fuel elements.

But what prevents or would prevent the Koreans from producing warheads and cannon-type detonators from weapons-grade uranium for their own thermonuclear charges and storing them in such a capacity?!

Nothing interfered, and the declaration of the DPRK as a "rogue country" only spurred this on.

Based on the available figures, it can be assumed that the DPRK for ten years, starting from the late 90s, remaining isolated, increased the growth rate in the extraction of uranium ore, in the production of concentrate, in the separation of isotopes and reached the level of 1-2 tons of weapons-grade uranium in year. Thus, it can also be assumed that the DPRK currently has not 12-23 plutonium charges in service, but in addition to them there are about 500 (at least) uranium charges produced in the DPRK over the past 17 years.

And it’s not a fact that uranium is only those that are analogous to the “Baby” dropped on Hiroshima. To ignite a thermonuclear reaction with "solid fuel" lithium-6 deuteride, it doesn't matter what to use: uranium or plutonium. Less plutonium is needed - about 5 kg. Uranus - 50 kg. The efficiency (efficiency factor) of the implosion-type plutonium charge is an order of magnitude higher than that of the cannon-type U-235 counterpart, in every sense it is cheaper. We produce energy and have plutonium as waste. But if you have your own uranium, it is easier to use it. No noise, no extra light.

The error of experts is that in their assessments they proceed from profit. They just don't know how to think differently. North Korea is a country of socialism.

So, it is logical to assume that the DPRK today has about 500 nuclear and thermonuclear charges of various types.

And this exactly corresponds to the number of carriers that the DPRK is armed with!

North Korea has:

600 short range missiles.

100 ICBMs and 200 medium-range missiles.

What, according to "analysts", are they stuffed with a conventional warhead?!

I understand that their high expert level allows them to express an opinion that the US leadership listens to, this is normal for the US, especially when someone like Psaki represents their president, this certainly says a lot, but what do their military think? Shooting missiles worth tens of millions of dollars, with a range of 4,000 - 12,000 km, stuffed with 750 kg of TNT, this is probably cool for the United States, but not for the DPRK.

And this is not all carriers of nuclear weapons in the DPRK.

Based on the indirect data I received, I dare to suggest that the DPRK has turned the shortcomings of its armed forces into virtues.

So, the shortcomings: the limited period of warfare in terms of fuel and food supplies, weak air forces, obsolete types of aircraft, the presence of old missiles of the DPRK coast guard, outdated air defense systems of air defense systems - all these are shortcomings.

But as I said earlier, the main advantage of the DPRK is the presence of a state communist ideology, and today the third generation of its bearers serves in the KPA. For them, to give their lives for the country, for the ideas of socialism, for their leader in a difficult hour of trials is their duty and the highest honor. And, I believe, they were able to solve the problem of transforming shortcomings into virtues.

The DPRK may have units of suicide pilots and suicide bombers in its Navy as part of its Air Force.

In order for the prerequisites for the creation of such units to appear, generations of those born and raised in the spirit of selfless devotion to the Juche ideas are required, and this is the case in the DPRK.

Unlike religious fanatics - Wahhabis, their choice is a conscious duty to their homeland and people, they do not seek to go to heaven, where they will be met by 72 virgins of the kingdom of paradise. And therefore their level is head and shoulders above that of Islamic radicals, remember this, ladies and gentlemen. You are dealing with intellectual warriors who are ready to give their lives on orders, with warriors who control even if not the newest, but high-quality military equipment, possibly armed with nuclear weapons.

Based on the foregoing, I also dare to assume that the DPRK has up to 100 "supersonic cruise missiles medium-range", with nuclear warheads, capable of operating in formation at extremely low altitudes and breaking through with a high probability ship and ground air defense and missile defense of the US Navy and several dozen submarines - nuclear torpedoes controlled by intelligence by no means of artificial origin. And this is all in addition to missiles.

Of course, that all this should be kept a special secret for everyone, except for those who are supposed to know.

Such an assumption, based on an analysis of the totality of all factors of the DPRK in the context of its confrontation with an "exclusive nation", leads to the conclusion that the United States today, for all its military power, not only capable of defeating the DPRK, they will suffer a military defeat from them in the region and, as a result, globally, and in a very short time.

The DPRK will not wait until the US 3rd and 7th Fleets line up their battle formations near the DPRK to shoot another country with Tomogawks, as was the case with Iraq and Libya, but using the surprise factor, it will attack them with a preemptive strike. Their bases in TO, in Japan, on Guam, as well as the main naval base on the US coast in San Diego, will be subjected to air and underwater strikes. Washington will also be under attack.

The US will lose dozens of its warships, possibly aircraft carriers and submarines.

At the same time, they are massively attacking South Korea, but they are unlikely to use nuclear weapons against them. What for? They still have to live and reconcile with the South Koreans. The northerners will go to liberate them, liberate them from the dictates of the United States.

A suicide attack is familiar to the United States, but then, in the 40s, Japanese kamikazes did not have the training that North Korea has today, they did not have nuclear weapons, and their effectiveness was relatively low. Although the very effect of the attacks was shocking.

Yes, the US will be able to respond with its own ballistic missiles, but that would mean that both China and Russia would enter into a nuclear war.

Which will end badly for everyone, and especially for the United States.

Realizing this, they will not answer, but will try to appeal to the world community, but who will stand up for them in this case? Having lost most of their ships and retreated, they will suddenly turn into what they have always been in principle: miserable and cowardly warriors, relying in their aggression solely on high technology and the strength of their $ USD.

Margarita, KONT, 19.10. sixteen.

P.S. For the training of suicide bombers, in addition to the main ideological base, it is also necessary to have a special long-term or (in war conditions) many-month program that allows at the first stage to overcome the fear of death - the fundamental root of all fears and death itself at the second stage. The fact that such a training program in the DPRK is taking place, I judged by indirect evidence. For what - I won’t say, analysts from the special services have their own criteria, I have mine. And everything stated here is just my private version.

Main conclusion: