[Exclusive] Navy Intelligence Ship to Increase North Korea Reconnaissance Aircraft

Rotary-wing unmanned aerial vehicle 'Camcopter S100' from Austrian company Shiebel

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] The Navy has decided to additionally acquire reconnaissance aircraft for North Korea operated on intelligence ships. This is interpreted as a move to strengthen reconnaissance missions near the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the West Sea following the killing of a Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official by North Korean forces in the West Sea last September. The Navy's intelligence ships patrol near the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the West Sea, collecting audio and video intelligence against North Korea.

On the 30th, a military official stated, "To eliminate reconnaissance gaps on intelligence ships, we plan to additionally acquire three rotary-wing unmanned aerial vehicles 'Camcopter S100' from Austria's Schiebel company next year."

The Navy currently operates two intelligence ships (Shinsegi and Shingiwon). The information collected by these intelligence ships is known to be utilized by military intelligence agencies and the National Intelligence Service. Initially, the intelligence ships operated fixed-wing aircraft (Shadow-400) produced by the U.S. AAI company to collect intelligence on North Korea. However, one aircraft crashed each in 2007 and 2010, leading to suspension of operations. While Shinsegi was unable to collect intelligence, the Cheonan ship sinking incident occurred in March of that year, and the Yeonpyeong Island shelling provocation happened in November.

Subsequently, the military introduced four units each of the rotary-wing UAV 'Camcopter S100' from Austria's Schiebel company in 2013 and 2018. However, two operated on Shingiwon crashed in 2015 and 2017, leaving only six units in operation. Since 2018, intelligence ships have been deployed for reconnaissance missions near Ieodo and the Korea-China-Japan Air Defense Identification Zone, reducing reconnaissance time near the NLL. During this period, the incident of a Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official being killed by North Korean forces in the West Sea occurred.

A military official said, "When intelligence ships perform missions, they must carry two reconnaissance aircraft for North Korea, but the currently possessed reconnaissance aircraft are insufficient in number," adding, "If additional reconnaissance aircraft are acquired, maintenance and pilot training will be significantly strengthened."