North Korea to soon deploy its first airborne early warning aircraft based on a Russian IL-76
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
As reported by 38 North on March 4, 2025, North Korea appears to be nearing completion of its first airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft, representing an expansion of its air force capabilities. Satellite imagery analysis indicates that a modified Ilyushin IL-76 aircraft has been stationed at Pyongyang’s Sunan International Airport, with a large radome mounted on its fuselage.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Converting an IL-76 into an AEW platform requires expertise in radar integration, airborne networking, and electronic warfare, areas in which North Korea has limited experience. (Picture source: Airbus Defence & Space and 38 North via Decker Eveleth/Twitter)
The radome features a triangular shape, a design seen on Chinese KJ-2000 and KJ-500 AEW aircraft, which typically house three fixed phased array radars covering 120-degree sectors each. While this configuration suggests a possible Chinese influence, there is no definitive evidence confirming direct external support.
The IL-76 was previously part of Air Koryo’s cargo fleet before being transferred to a maintenance facility in October 2023, where security fences were installed around it. Structural modifications began in November 2023, prompting speculation regarding its conversion into an AEW platform. By late 2024, visible progress had been made, and the aircraft was moved into an adjacent hangar. In February 2025, it reappeared with a mounted radome, providing the clearest indication yet of North Korea’s efforts to develop an AEW system. However, state media has not acknowledged the project.
According to Decker Eveleth, the development of an AEW aircraft would allow North Korea to detect low-flying threats such as cruise missiles, which its existing Soviet-era ground-based radar systems struggle to track due to the country’s mountainous terrain and the curvature of the Earth. Airborne radar coverage would improve North Korea’s situational awareness and potentially enhance its air defense network. However, the effectiveness of such a system depends on its integration with existing command and control infrastructure. AEW platforms require advanced networking capabilities and real-time data-sharing systems, the availability of which in North Korea remains uncertain.
Analysts have raised questions regarding possible foreign involvement in the modification process. Satellite imagery from late 2023 revealed structural changes that resemble AEW modifications observed in Russian and Chinese aircraft. No conclusive evidence exists to confirm Russian assistance, but reports indicate increasing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia. Since North Korea began supplying artillery shells and other military aid to Russia during the Ukraine conflict, speculation has grown that Pyongyang could be receiving technical support or surplus military equipment in return, including components relevant to AEW capabilities.
North Korea’s use of the Ilyushin Il-76 cargo aircraft began in 1993 when Air Koryo acquired three IL-76TDs for freight transport to and from China and Russia. These aircraft remain in service and are registered as P-912, P-913, and P-914. Air Koryo’s Il-76s have been cited in reports alleging their involvement in transporting cargo associated with North Korea’s military programs, including missile components, in violation of United Nations sanctions. In 2016, the U.S. Department of the Treasury designated 16 Air Koryo aircraft, including its Il-76s, for their association with North Korea’s transportation sector and potential links to weapons proliferation.
North Korea’s use of the Ilyushin Il-76 cargo aircraft began in 1993 when Air Koryo acquired three IL-76TDs for freight transport to and from China and Russia. (Picture source: LiuXiaHui/RussianPlanes.net)
While primarily operated for cargo transport, at least one Il-76 has been photographed in a military camouflage scheme, leading to speculation about its use beyond commercial freight operations. Despite international restrictions, these aircraft remain an integral part of North Korea’s air logistics capabilities, particularly given the country’s reliance on Soviet-era aircraft and its limited access to newer models due to sanctions.
Recent reports suggest that Russia has agreed to supply North Korea with MiG-29 and Su-27 fighter jets in exchange for the deployment of North Korean personnel to Russia. According to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Admiral Samuel Paparo, approximately 12,000 North Korean troops have been sent to Russia, though they have not yet participated in combat operations. This agreement aligns with broader patterns of increasing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, with indications that Pyongyang may also seek additional technological transfers, including missile re-entry vehicles, submarine technologies, and upgraded air defense systems.
North Korea’s air force operates a fleet of aging Soviet-era aircraft with limited modernization due to sanctions and resource constraints. The inventory primarily consists of MiG-21s, MiG-23s, Su-25s, and a small number of MiG-29s. The acquisition of MiG-29 and Su-27 fighters would expand its air force’s capabilities, though it would still remain behind South Korea’s technologically advanced air fleet, which includes F-35 and F-15K fighters.
North Korea’s AEW initiative aligns with its broader intelligence-gathering objectives, which include increased investments in space-based reconnaissance through satellite deployments. A functional AEW platform would complement these efforts by providing airborne surveillance, potentially improving Pyongyang’s ability to monitor foreign military activities and coordinate its own operations.
Significant challenges remain in fully operationalizing an AEW aircraft. Converting an IL-76 into an AEW platform requires expertise in radar integration, airborne networking, and electronic warfare, areas in which North Korea has limited experience. Additionally, AEW platforms require continuous operation to maintain surveillance coverage, and a single modified IL-76 would provide only intermittent capability. Expanding the AEW fleet would require additional modifications or foreign assistance to sustain operational readiness.
The introduction of an AEW system in North Korea has implications for regional security. While it may enhance Pyongyang’s ability to track military activities, it also raises concerns about potential misinterpretation of intelligence and an increased risk of escalation. Analysts caution that while an AEW system could improve situational awareness, it might also lead to miscalculations if North Korea interprets routine military exercises as a threat.
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
As reported by 38 North on March 4, 2025, North Korea appears to be nearing completion of its first airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft, representing an expansion of its air force capabilities. Satellite imagery analysis indicates that a modified Ilyushin IL-76 aircraft has been stationed at Pyongyang’s Sunan International Airport, with a large radome mounted on its fuselage.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Converting an IL-76 into an AEW platform requires expertise in radar integration, airborne networking, and electronic warfare, areas in which North Korea has limited experience. (Picture source: Airbus Defence & Space and 38 North via Decker Eveleth/Twitter)
The radome features a triangular shape, a design seen on Chinese KJ-2000 and KJ-500 AEW aircraft, which typically house three fixed phased array radars covering 120-degree sectors each. While this configuration suggests a possible Chinese influence, there is no definitive evidence confirming direct external support.
The IL-76 was previously part of Air Koryo’s cargo fleet before being transferred to a maintenance facility in October 2023, where security fences were installed around it. Structural modifications began in November 2023, prompting speculation regarding its conversion into an AEW platform. By late 2024, visible progress had been made, and the aircraft was moved into an adjacent hangar. In February 2025, it reappeared with a mounted radome, providing the clearest indication yet of North Korea’s efforts to develop an AEW system. However, state media has not acknowledged the project.
According to Decker Eveleth, the development of an AEW aircraft would allow North Korea to detect low-flying threats such as cruise missiles, which its existing Soviet-era ground-based radar systems struggle to track due to the country’s mountainous terrain and the curvature of the Earth. Airborne radar coverage would improve North Korea’s situational awareness and potentially enhance its air defense network. However, the effectiveness of such a system depends on its integration with existing command and control infrastructure. AEW platforms require advanced networking capabilities and real-time data-sharing systems, the availability of which in North Korea remains uncertain.
Analysts have raised questions regarding possible foreign involvement in the modification process. Satellite imagery from late 2023 revealed structural changes that resemble AEW modifications observed in Russian and Chinese aircraft. No conclusive evidence exists to confirm Russian assistance, but reports indicate increasing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia. Since North Korea began supplying artillery shells and other military aid to Russia during the Ukraine conflict, speculation has grown that Pyongyang could be receiving technical support or surplus military equipment in return, including components relevant to AEW capabilities.
North Korea’s use of the Ilyushin Il-76 cargo aircraft began in 1993 when Air Koryo acquired three IL-76TDs for freight transport to and from China and Russia. These aircraft remain in service and are registered as P-912, P-913, and P-914. Air Koryo’s Il-76s have been cited in reports alleging their involvement in transporting cargo associated with North Korea’s military programs, including missile components, in violation of United Nations sanctions. In 2016, the U.S. Department of the Treasury designated 16 Air Koryo aircraft, including its Il-76s, for their association with North Korea’s transportation sector and potential links to weapons proliferation.
North Korea’s use of the Ilyushin Il-76 cargo aircraft began in 1993 when Air Koryo acquired three IL-76TDs for freight transport to and from China and Russia. (Picture source: LiuXiaHui/RussianPlanes.net)
While primarily operated for cargo transport, at least one Il-76 has been photographed in a military camouflage scheme, leading to speculation about its use beyond commercial freight operations. Despite international restrictions, these aircraft remain an integral part of North Korea’s air logistics capabilities, particularly given the country’s reliance on Soviet-era aircraft and its limited access to newer models due to sanctions.
Recent reports suggest that Russia has agreed to supply North Korea with MiG-29 and Su-27 fighter jets in exchange for the deployment of North Korean personnel to Russia. According to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Admiral Samuel Paparo, approximately 12,000 North Korean troops have been sent to Russia, though they have not yet participated in combat operations. This agreement aligns with broader patterns of increasing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, with indications that Pyongyang may also seek additional technological transfers, including missile re-entry vehicles, submarine technologies, and upgraded air defense systems.
North Korea’s air force operates a fleet of aging Soviet-era aircraft with limited modernization due to sanctions and resource constraints. The inventory primarily consists of MiG-21s, MiG-23s, Su-25s, and a small number of MiG-29s. The acquisition of MiG-29 and Su-27 fighters would expand its air force’s capabilities, though it would still remain behind South Korea’s technologically advanced air fleet, which includes F-35 and F-15K fighters.
North Korea’s AEW initiative aligns with its broader intelligence-gathering objectives, which include increased investments in space-based reconnaissance through satellite deployments. A functional AEW platform would complement these efforts by providing airborne surveillance, potentially improving Pyongyang’s ability to monitor foreign military activities and coordinate its own operations.
Significant challenges remain in fully operationalizing an AEW aircraft. Converting an IL-76 into an AEW platform requires expertise in radar integration, airborne networking, and electronic warfare, areas in which North Korea has limited experience. Additionally, AEW platforms require continuous operation to maintain surveillance coverage, and a single modified IL-76 would provide only intermittent capability. Expanding the AEW fleet would require additional modifications or foreign assistance to sustain operational readiness.
The introduction of an AEW system in North Korea has implications for regional security. While it may enhance Pyongyang’s ability to track military activities, it also raises concerns about potential misinterpretation of intelligence and an increased risk of escalation. Analysts caution that while an AEW system could improve situational awareness, it might also lead to miscalculations if North Korea interprets routine military exercises as a threat.
