N. KOREAN AIR FORCE
Notes:
THE NORTH KOREAN AIR FORCE OR NKAF HAS AN INVENTORY OF NEARLY 1600 AIRCRAFT AND 80,000 MEMBERS. THE NORTH KOREANS HAVE 33 JET CAPABLE AIRFIELDS, MANY OF WHICH HAVE UNDERGROUND SUPPORT FACILITIES. WHILE THE NKAF HAS MORE THAN 700 FIGHTER AIRCRAFT, MOST OF THESE ARE 1950 AND 1960’S VINTAGE AIRFRAMES. APPROX 5000 OF THESE FIGHTERS CAN ONLY FLY DURING THE DAY AND IN GOOD WEATHER.
THE NORTHS ONLY MODERN FIGHTERS ARE THE MIG-29 FULCRUM AND THE MIG-23 FLOGGER. THESE AIRCRAFT ARE KEPT CLOSE TO PYONGYANG FOR DEFENSE OF THE CAPITAL. WITH THEIR LIMITED NUMBER OF MODERN AIRCRAFT, THE NKAF’S PRIMARY MISSION IS DEFENSE OF THE HOMELAND AND SECONDARY MISSIONS OF SOF INSERTION AND OFFENSIVE SUPPORT FOR GROUND FORCES.
THE MIG-21 IS THE BACKBONE OF THE NKAF.