Posted on 10/28/2007 10:32:11 AM PDT by blam
Oil price 'grounds' N Korea fleet
The Antonov An-2 transport first flew in 1947
North Korea has been forced to ground a fleet of Soviet-era military planes because of the high oil price, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported. Fuel is being diverted for other training flights, Yonhap quoted a military source as saying.
The Antonov An-2 biplanes - of which North Korea's air force is thought to have about 300 - are able to drop special forces behind enemy lines.
The planes, which can cruise below radar, carry some 12 soldiers.
North Korea's impoverished economy has suffered from energy shortages for years, and rising oil prices have made the situation worse.
Low speed
The Antonov, designed and built in the Soviet Union, first flew in 1947, and is still used by a number of military and civilian operators around the world.
The plane is useful in special forces operations because of its extremely low minimum speed - it can fly as slowly as 48km/h (30mph) without stalling, according to aviation experts.
North Korea's air force fields hundreds of aircraft, but the vast majority are ageing Soviet models - such as the MiG 21 fighter - or Chinese copies outclassed by more modern aircraft fielded by the US, South Korea or Japan.
North and South Korea are still technically at war as a peace accord to bring an end to the 1950-53 conflict has never been signed.
Ping!
If those relics ever try to cross the DMZ it will be duck season.
Then now is the time to attack.
No, honestly... I did not realize they had a fleet.
Um, they meant their fleet of aircraft..
But the North Korean Navy has something the South Koreans do not.
Submarines.
Noisey old diesel models and we know where they are at all times.
| SYSTEMS | Inventory | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1995 | 2000 | 2002 | 2005 | 2010 | ||
| Submarines | 3 | 6 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 21 | |
| KSS-III | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| KSS-II | Ge T-214 | - | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| KSS-I Chang Bogo | Ge T-209/1200 | - | 3 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| KSS-1 Dolgorae | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| SX 756 Dolphin | Kosmos [IT] | - | - | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
The South Koreans also have destroyers and maritime patrol aircraft.
It's Rabbit season.
Here in Meriden, Conn. we had one of those hanging around the airport for a few years — it was Polish-built c. 1982. If it wanted to be, it could be very quiet. I could see that being used at night in the low and slow agent-dropping role, a la the Westland Lysander in WW2.
Hey! Is that 5 o'clock Charlie's plane?
Well, I stand mistaken.
Back when I was in the Navy, the South Koreans didn’t have submarines...
How’s that?
Seen one of those flying around Ft Smith, AR once.
And it could drop some paratroopers. :-)
The Su’s and MiG’s would be done pretty fast, but I wouldn’t get too cocky when it comes to the An-2 Colt. Low and slow is the way to go for infiltration. An aircraft like this one could easily land and take off from a short section of road. If they have any night vision capability it could get down right ugly. Hopefully we never find out, but I wouldn’t count on the NK spec ops guys coming out of these planes being incompetent cowards either.
No problem. No blood, no foul.
That is one of the best things about FR - it is a learning environment as well as a place to discuss and exchange ideas.
AH64 Apache could out dog fight it.
LOL! Reminds me of the “Five O’Clock Charlie” episode of MASH.
There ain’t going to be a dog fight, becase they’ll never see it. 50 or 100ft AGL down low and slow.
That is the same level Apaches operate.
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