Air Defense
North Korea has deployed a wide range of SAM and AAA systems ranging from the oldest Soviet designs to highly mobile and modern examples. Most SAM systems are of Soviet design lineage with some locally produced designs, while AA artillery is from both Soviet and local suppliers. The DPRK has the densest air defense network in the world, with air defence pads deployed virtually around every town and major city. MANPADS are used extensively, with over 15,000 units fielded according to a 1995 Pentagon report on the country. North Korea has one of the best hardened integrated air defence systems (IADS) in the world, with many of its radars and launchers positioned on fortified elevating platforms and its aircraft positioned in hardened bunkers and even two underground airbases. The addition of the KN-06 SAM, which was flight-tested in the spring of 2011, and a local model of the Pechora 2 (Upgraded SA-3), unveiled at a 2012 military parade have notably expanded the systems capabilities.
- SAM system summary:
- 8+ long-range KN-06
- 24-40 long-range SA-5
- Up to 440 medium range SA-1, SA-2 and SA-3
- Unknown number of medium-range SA-4, SA-6 and SA-17
- At least 15,000 MANPADS
| Name | Manufacturer | Notes | Number | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SA-1 Guild | KB-1 | Probably Retired | 72 launchers delivered in 1961 | 35 km |
| SA-2 Guideline | Lavochkin | Single Rail Launchers in fixed sites | up to 240 launchers | 45 km |
| SA-3 Goa | Aleksei Mihailovich Isaev | Hardened Quadruple Launchers and a local version of Pechora 2 | 32 batteries (128 launchers) | 35 km |
| SA-4 Ganef | Kalinin Machine Building Plant | Unknown | 55 km | |
| SA-5 Gammon | NPO Almaz | 24-40 launchers | 300 km | |
| SA-6 Gainful | Ulyanovsk Mechanical Plant | Unknown | 24 km | |
| SA-7 Grail | KBM, Kolomna | Local variant, known as Hwasung-Chong in use | At least 3,5 km | |
| KN-06 | Unknown local Maufacturer | Flight tested in early 2011, precise capabilities unknown | 8+ | 90–150 km? |
| SA-13 Gopher | KB Tochmash | Unknown | 5 km | |
| SA-14 Gremlin | KBM, Kolomna | 4,1 km | ||
| SA-16 Gimlet | KBM | Produced locally | 550+ | 5,2 km |
| SA-17 Gadfly | Almaz-Antey | Produced locally | ? (500 missiles manufactured as of 2006, no. of launchers unknown) | 30 km |
- Anti-aircraft artillery (11,000+ units)
| Name | Type | Number |
|---|---|---|
| KS-30 | Heavy 130 mm AA gun | |
| KS-19 | Heavy 100 mm AA gun | 500 |
| KS-12 | Heavy 85 mm AA gun | 400 |
| M-1985 | SP Medium 57 mm AA gun | |
| ZSU-57-2 | Twin SP Medium 57 mm AA guns | |
| S-60 | Medium 57 mm AA gun | |
| M-1992 | SP Medium 37 mm AA gun | |
| M-1939 | Medium 37 mm AA gun | 1,000 |
| M-1992 | Light 30 mm AA gun | |
| M-1992 | Light 23 mm AA gun | |
| ZSU-23-4 | Multiple 23 mm SP AA gun | >100 |
| ZU-23-2 | Twin 23 mm AA gun | 1,500 |
| M-1984 | Multiple SP 14,5 mm AA machine gun | |
| ZPU-4 | Multiple 14,5 mm AA machine gun |
Read more about this topic: Korean People's Air Force
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