North Korea Fires Missiles... US Reconnaissance Aircraft 'Flashing Over East Sea and West Sea'

US Air Force's Latest Reconnaissance Aircraft Deployed One After Another
Cobra Ball to the East Sea, Combat Sent to the West Sea

On the 14th, around the time North Korea launched short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) into the East Sea, the latest U.S. reconnaissance aircraft repeatedly appeared over the eastern and western seas. North Korea's military movements are interpreted as an attempt to monitor potential strategic provocations.

According to aircraft tracking services, around 7 to 8 a.m. that day, the U.S. Air Force reconnaissance aircraft RC-135S Cobra Ball was deployed over the East Sea. When the Cobra Ball revealed its flight path from Okinawa, Japan, to the East Sea, North Korea launched two SRBMs from the Jangyeon area in South Hwanghae Province toward the East Sea. This reconnaissance aircraft is believed to have captured the flight trajectory and impact points of the North Korean missiles.

US Air Force reconnaissance aircraft RC-135S Cobra Ball

Subsequently, the U.S. Air Force's RC-135U Combat Sent reconnaissance aircraft flew for an extended period over the West Sea, crossing South Korea from east to west and north to south, conducting surveillance activities until the afternoon. The Combat Sent, of which the U.S. Air Force only has two, detects enemy radar signals and analyzes enemy air defense networks. It also performs missions to collect electronic waves emitted from missile bases.

The deployment of two of the latest U.S. reconnaissance aircraft over the Korean Peninsula is interpreted not only as monitoring North Korea's additional provocations but also as an effort to watch for strategic provocations such as intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). Since the South Korea-U.S. joint exercises are scheduled to continue until the 23rd, it is expected that U.S. reconnaissance aircraft will frequently operate over the Korean Peninsula during this period. The South Korea-U.S. alliance is conducting the Freedom Shield (FS) joint exercise for the second consecutive day.

Meanwhile, in response to the FS joint exercise, North Korea fired two strategic cruise missiles from a submerged submarine near Sinpo on the 9th, followed by launching two SRBMs on this day.