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Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

North Korea Could Soon Have Russian MiG-29 and Su-27 Fighters (But There Is A Problem)

Su-27 Flanker.
Su-27 Flanker. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Key Points and Summary: North Korea is reportedly set to receive Russian Su-27 and MiG-29 fighter jets, marking a significant addition to its aging air force.

-However, these 4th-generation jets, while formidable compared to North Korea’s current fleet, face challenges.

-Many are analog-based, with parts no longer in production, making maintenance and long-term operation difficult.

-Despite promises made during Kim Jong Un’s visit to a Russian aircraft plant in 2023, sourcing compatible, operational fighters may prove problematic for the Kremlin.

-Ultimately, while these jets could temporarily bolster North Korea’s air capabilities, logistical and technological hurdles could limit their real-world impact.

Kim Jong Un’s New Aircraft Deal: Russian Su-27s and MiG-29s Explained

During the Reagan National Defence Forum held at the end of the first week in December, the head of the US INDOPACIFIC Command, Adm. Samuel Paparo, made the surprising announcement that there was an agreement for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to receive Sukhoi Su-27 and Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter aircraft from Russia.  

“We’ve seen some agreement” between Moscow and Pyongyang on the transfer of these fighter aircraft, said the Admiral, but he did not specify any details as to the total numbers or the specific models of these aircraft. Paparo conceded that these models were 4th-generation types when the world of combat aviation was all about 5th-generation fighters replacing these airframes.

However, particularly in comparison with the current Korean People’s Army Air Force (KPAF) fleet, these aircraft models were still “formidable.” 

At present, the force operates about 35 older MiG-29s, half of which are the original MiG-29A-9.12 and MiG-29B-9.51, and the rest are older MiG-29C-9.13 versions. Some of these were initially delivered in knock-down kits so that they could be locally assembled in the DPRK.

Yesterday’s and Today’s-Generation

Moscow providing a slew of new weapon systems to Pyongyang is a development expected since September 2023, when the DPRK leader Kim Jong Un visited the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association (KNAAPO). The aircraft factory, one of the largest in the country, is located in the Russian Far East province of Khabarovsk.

The KNAAPO plant was once home to the production line of the 4th-generation Su-27 and now manufactures the Su-35, described as a 4++ generation design and the 5th-generation Su-57. These are the two most advanced single-seat fighters in Russian service today.

The only other Sukhoi heavy fighter aircraft currently being built in Russia is the Su-30SM series built at Irkut.

Additional MiG-29s and/or Su-27s would be a plus-up in theory for the KPAF, but what may cause problems for this transfer of used aircraft to Kim is that the 4th-generation MiG-29s and Su-27s have not been in production for quite some time. The Su-27s have been replaced by the newer, more advanced Sukhoi fighters mentioned above, and the MiG-29 is now superseded by the MiG-35.

North Korea Getting Russian Jets: Easier Said Than Done

The aircraft that the KPAF will receive are from an almost bygone age. Everything about them is from the old-Soviet, early-1990s era. The aircraft are mainly equipped with analog-based onboard systems. Some factories that used to build major components for these models no longer have those systems in production.

In some cases, the factories themselves no longer exist or have switched over to some other completely different type of product lines.

This will make the task of assembling tranches of used aircraft to send to the DPRK doubly difficult. One arduous task will be to find adequate sources of spares for these older models that are not only no longer in production but are not operated in large numbers with the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS).

This means there are very few sources of spares for whatever fighters end up in KPAF hands. There are plenty of stories already out there about countries using older Russian aircraft having to come up with their own means of supporting these platforms.

Su-27 Russia Drone Attack Screenshot

Su-27 Russia Drone Attack Screenshot

Poland, one of the more economically robust nations that continued to fly the MiG in its service experienced this problem beginning in the early 2000s.

“The repair plant for the MIG-29 is now fabricating parts for the aircraft – reverse-engineering them – because these parts are no longer available from Russia,” said one of the senior engineering staff at the Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze Nr 2 in Bydgoszcz I spoke to on this subject, years ago.

Lastly, due to their being out of production and older aircraft being cannibalized after they are withdrawn from service, there are not that many MiGs that would be compatible with the aircraft that the KPAF are operating now and the older Su-27s still left in service.

Whatever promises have been made to the DPRK about receiving these aircraft, they may be typical of what happens in the Vladimir Putin dictatorship. Orders are handed down from on-high by people who are not aware of the situation on the ground. Orders that end up being half-implemented – if at all.

MiG-29. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

MiG-29. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

About the Author: Reuben F. Johnson

Reuben F. Johnson is a survivor of the February 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and is now an Expert on Foreign Military Affairs with the Fundacja im. Kazimierza Pułaskiego in Warsaw.  He has been a consultant to the Pentagon, several NATO governments and the Australian government in the fields of defense technology and weapon systems design.  Over the past 30 years he has resided in and reported from Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Brazil, the People’s Republic of China and Australia.

Written By

Reuben F. Johnson is a survivor of the February 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and is now an Expert on Foreign Military Affairs with the Fundacja im. Kazimierza Pułaskiego in Warsaw and has been a consultant to the Pentagon, several NATO governments and the Australian government in the fields of defence technology and weapon systems design. Over the past 30 years he has resided at one time or another in Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Brazil, the People’s Republic of China and Australia.

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