North Korean Air Force
| Korean People's Army Air Force 조선인민군 공군 |
|
|---|---|
| Founded | August 20, 1947 |
| Country |
 North Korea |
| Allegiance |
 Kim Jong-un
|
| Size | 110,000 personnel 940 aircraft |
| Part of |
 Korean People's Army
|
| Garrison/HQ | Pyongyang, North Korea |
| Nickname(s) | "Korean People's Air Force", "KPAF", "KPAAF", "NKAF", "North Korean air force" |
| Anniversaries | 20 August |
| Engagements |
Korean War Vietnam War |
| Commanders | |
| Commander-in-chief | General Ri Pyong-chol |
| Notable commanders |
VMAR Cho Myong-rok Col. Gen. Oh Gum-chol |
| Insignia | |
| Flag |  |
| Roundel |  |
| Former flag | .svg) |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack | Su-7, Q-5, Su-25, Yak-18 |
| Bomber | Il-28 |
| Fighter | F-7B, F-5, F-6, MiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-29 |
| Helicopter | MD Helicopters MD 500, Mil Mi-2, Mil Mi-8 Mil Mi-14, Mil Mi-24 |
| Reconnaissance | D-4, Sky-09, Vega Shmel, MQM-107 Streaker |
| Trainer | L-39, Shenyang FT-2 |
| Transport | IL-76, An-24, An-2 |
The Korean People's Army Air Force (Chosŏn'gŭl: 조선인민군 공군; Hanja: 朝鮮人民軍 空軍) is the appellation of the unified aviation forces of North Korea. The KPAF is the 2nd largest branch of the Korean People's Army comprising an estimated 110,000 members. It possesses 940 aircraft of different types; mostly of Soviet and Chinese origin. Its primary task is to defend North Korean airspace. When the People's Army was forged with Soviet assistance, the aviation unit became its air force branch on August 20, 1947. North Korea has celebrated August 20 as Air Force Foundation Day ever since.
Kim Il-sung set up the Aviation Association branches in Pyongyang, Sinuiju, Chongjin and other parts of the country in 1945. In December 1945 he merged them into the Aviation Association of Korea. The air force became a separate service in 1948. The KPAF incorporates much of the original Soviet air tactics, as well as North Korean experience from the UN bombings during the Korean War.
The KPAF has on occasion deployed abroad to assist fellow socialist states, with a North Korean flight of MiG-21s deploying to Bir Arida to help defend southern Egypt during the Yom Kippur War.
In 1990-91, North Korea activated four forward air bases near the DMZ.
Given North Korea's experience with heavy U.S. bombardments in the Korean War, its aim has been mainly to defend North Korean airspace. The heavy reliance on fighter aircraft, Surface-to-air missile and Anti-aircraft warfare reflects this. However, since nearly all of North Korea's aircraft inventory consists of aging and obsolete Soviet and Chinese aircraft, the primary goal of the air force may have changed in the last years to providing ground support for the land forces and threatening South Korean population centers and military targets with a massive air attack.
In this way, North Korea could try to maintain military parity with South Korea by using its air force as a deterrent, much like its ballistic missiles, instead of trying to maintain a technological parity in aircraft types for individual air-to-air roles. This seems to be confirmed by the recent redeployment of 120 mostly obsolete fighters, bombers and transport aircraft closer to the demilitarized zone, even though 440 modern aircraft are also based near the DMZ. Keeping in mind the production, storage and use of a vast chemical, biological and possibly nuclear weapons inventory by North Korea, this change in doctrine is even more significant.
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Wikipedia