Air Force to Deploy Electronic Warfare Aircraft to Penetrate North Korea's 'Spider Web Air Defense Network' [Yang Nak-gyu's Defense Club]

US Navy Electronic Warfare Aircraft Growler

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu Reporter] The military is pushing to introduce electronic warfare aircraft capable of disrupting enemy radio wave usage from North Korea, thereby neutralizing radar, communication networks, and more.

According to military officials on the 28th, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration conducted preliminary research last year through the Defense Technology Quality Institute and plans to finalize the project promotion strategy this year. Inside and outside the military, it is known that the preliminary research results have led to a consensus to develop the electronic warfare aircraft domestically rather than importing it from overseas.

During the third phase of the next-generation fighter (FX) project, the South Korean military reviewed Boeing's 'F-15SE Silent Eagle' and reportedly requested export approval for the U.S. Navy's EF-18 (Growler), which is equipped for electronic warfare. At that time, there were rumors within and outside the military that if the FX phase 3 budget was reduced, it would be possible to introduce 12 Growlers.

If the electronic warfare aircraft is developed domestically, a choice of platform must be made. However, there is controversy within the military over whether to select a fast-speed platform like a fighter jet or a platform like a transport aircraft that allows equipment integration and expansion. The U.S. military operates both types. The U.S. Navy's EF-18 (Growler) is a fighter jet, while the U.S. Air Force's EC-130H Compass Call is a transport aircraft. However, as the EC-130H ages, the U.S. Air Force plans to dismantle its main electronic warfare equipment and replace it with the EC-37B, based on the G550 business jet.

The United States is also pushing for the deployment of the next-generation electronic warfare system (NGJ) capable of penetrating Russian and Chinese air defense networks to strike targets. The U.S. Navy signed a $1 billion (1.1 trillion won) contract with Raytheon, the manufacturer of the Patriot missile, for the first phase of NGJ development and production, with plans to deploy it operationally by 2021.

The U.S. Navy is accelerating NGJ deployment due to the power of Russia's latest surface-to-air missiles such as the S-300 and S-400, which have already been deployed in combat. In particular, the S-400, with a range exceeding 400 km, can simultaneously detect and track 100 targets and shoot down six of them. It is also evaluated to be capable of detecting stealth aircraft such as the B-2 bomber and F-35 fighter, emerging as a significant threat. The S-400, deployed in 2007, is said by military experts to be capable of destroying flying cruise missiles and tactical ballistic missiles.

The military is rushing to introduce electronic warfare aircraft because of North Korea's 'spider web air defense network.' The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has also evaluated North Korea's air defense network density as among the highest in the world. North Korea is known to have established a quadruple air defense system around Pyongyang to block South Korea-U.S. combined air power.

North Korea's recently possessed surface-to-air missiles include the SA-5 (Gammon, high altitude) with a maximum range of 260-300 km, the SA-3 (Goa, low to medium altitude) with a maximum range of 13-35 km, and the SA-2 (Guideline, medium to high altitude) with a maximum range of 48 km. It is estimated that there are about 40 SA-5s, 140 SA-3s, and 180 SA-2s. According to the 2018 Defense White Paper, the SA-2 and SA-5 are mainly deployed in the front and eastern and western regions.

The SA-2, developed by the former Soviet Union, was first deployed in combat in 1957. It gained fame by shooting down the U.S. high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft 'U-2' over Soviet territory during the Cold War. It was also widely used by North Vietnamese forces during the Vietnam War, where many U.S. fighter jets were shot down by this missile, earning it a notorious reputation. However, experts believe that the SA-2 missile, developed over 50 years ago, does not pose a significant threat to the combined air forces of South Korea and the U.S. North Korea also mainly deploys it in rear areas.

In addition, North Korea possesses portable surface-to-air missiles such as the SA-7 (maximum range 3.7 km) and SA-16 (4.5 km). Portable surface-to-air missiles detect infrared emitted from targets like fighter jets and automatically track them. Due to their short flight range, they are mainly deployed around the Pyongyang area and frontline combat units.

Recently, North Korea has operationally deployed newly developed medium-wave infrared guided missiles. These include portable surface-to-air guided missiles like the SA-16, which use 3-5 μm mid-infrared, and air-to-air guided missiles such as the AA-8 and AA-11. Generally, when an aircraft is attacked by infrared-guided missiles, it releases decoy flares that emit heat more than four times stronger than the aircraft engine's heat. Most infrared-guided missiles track the strongest infrared signal within their search range, thus following the decoy flares instead of the aircraft. However, it is known that the mid-infrared guided missiles deployed by North Korea in the past one to two years are not deceived by flares and continue to track the aircraft.