Risky Business:U.S. plans protection for intelligence-gathering aircraft after threat by N. Korea

Aviation Week & Space Technology | March 10, 2003 | David A. Fulghum

[Stand Watch Listen]

At least some U.S. officials want to play hardball over the North Korean interception of a RC-135S Cobra Ball aircraft that was flying about 150 mi. offshore observing preparation for upcoming missile tests. North Korea fired off two Rodong ballistic missiles, with the range to hit Japan, in February, and more tests are expected.

"The North Koreans have been told that intelligence-gathering aircraft will continue flying, and they will be escorted by F-15s and F-16s," a senior Air Force official said. "They've also been told that if their fighters lock on again [the electronic prelude to firing a missile] our fighters will hose them. We will consider locking on a hostile act and will shoot them down."

F-15s normally stationed in Alaska and F-16s stationed in South Korea and Japan will be involved in the escort missions. North Korea accused the U.S. of escalating regional tensions by recently making a series of provocative surveillance flights inside North Korean territorial waters.

THOSE WHO FLY RC-135S Cobra Ball intelligence-gathering aircraft say it is no surprise that the crew intercepted by four North Korean fighters about 150 mi. east of the peninsula did not react to hand signals from the intercepting pilots to land in North Korea.

"They're well trained about what to do," a Pentagon official said. "They would take a missile [hit] before they responded. Because the [surveillance] equipment is so capable, there's not going to be any forced landing of an RC-135. They saw what happened to the EP-3 that landed in China; that's not going to happen with North Korea." In the 1960s, another time when the U.S. was heavily involved in military operations elsewhere, the North Koreans captured an intelligence-gathering ship and shot down a surveillance aircraft.

Others familiar with Cobra Ball operations say the aircrew's response is graduated. First, they ignore the intercepting fighter. Then, if they detect hostile intent, they abort the mission and get away as quickly as possible. The primary evasion tactic is a steep, turning high-speed dive to wave top level where the large aircraft is more difficult to attack.

A film of the encounter with the North Korean fighters taken by the RC-135 crew is already circulating within the Pentagon and the intelligence community. The aircraft was monitoring launch sites on North Korean's east coast. Usually missiles are fired into the Sea of Japan, but at least one missile was shot over Japan to land in the Pacific Ocean.

On this particular flight, the RC-135 had taken off from Japan. These aircraft, which specialize in detecting and analyzing ballistic missile operations, are "very busy right now," said a Pentagon official. At least one other Cobra Ball--the newest version with specialized infrared sensors on either side--from the small fleet of three aircraft is at Prince Sultan AFB, Saudi Arabia. If war erupts in the Middle East, it would monitor western Iraq for Scud and other type missile launches against Jordan and Israel. The aircraft can quickly compute missile impact points and would be tied into the Israeli air defense system to ensure a quick, accurate response to an incoming warhead. Israel's Arrow and Patriot anti-missile systems are also part of the network.

"I don't understand what the North Koreans hope to accomplish," the Pentagon official said. "They haven't done this for decades. It doesn't make sense. If you want to conduct a missile test and keep U.S. surveillance aircraft away, this isn't how you do it. You get the diplomats involved and they say, 'Your guys are too close, so back off the flights.'"

There is no chance the U.S. aircraft violated North Korean air space. "I'm sure they were at least 150 mi. off shore," an Air Force official said. "With a Cobra Ball you don't want to be too close because you have such a limited field of view [with its long-range sensors]."

Cobra Ball aircraft collect signals intelligence that includes radio and telemetry transmission. But their primary role is in amassing measurements and signature intelligence, which means gathering telemetry or collecting in parts of the electromagnetic spectrum other than visible light. Many important data about a missile test, for example, come from the infrared spectrum. The information can be used to determine what materials the missile is made of, its ability to evade interception and its accuracy.

Cobra Ball carries the Theater Airborne Warning System that combines information from Defense Support Program satellites with that from the aircraft's own medium-wave infrared arrays. Fusing MIRA and DSP data can cut launch site errors by 1/20 and plot target impact locations to well within a mile. Moreover, airborne infrared observations are made much more often than those by the DSO satellite, thereby allowing a more accurate determination of the point at which the missile's engine cuts off, a key data point for predicting the impact point. TAWS also was installed on two RC-135V/W Rivet Joint aircraft. Cobra Ball and the two modified Rivet Joints in Saudi Arabia can provide 24-hr.-a-day coverage of western Iraq.

[1Old Pro]

"They've also been told that if their fighters lock on again [the electronic prelude to firing a missile] our fighters will hose them.

Good, no more foolin around.

[templar]

I know no one seems concerned about it, but I'm beginning to wonder if we should be taking the N. Korean situation serioulsy.

[Wild Irish Rogue]

What's the time table for Hollywood and the Democrats to demand Bush back down and make peace with NK?? Will they issue statements of support for Kim at the Oscars?? Will Sean Penn go to Pyongyang ?? Since they love Saddam, they will be positively over the moon, with Kim.

[Hadean]

On my FR profile page there is a link to online books on Military Science. On this link you'll find a book by Albert Wohlstetter titled The Delicate Balance of Terror. Very interesting read. It's old, Cold War kind of stuff, but it goes into concepts very relative to our present situation with North Korea. Between Wohlstetter's points and the current news events, I think the administration is right on top of this issue.

[uncbob]

"I don't understand what the North Koreans hope to accomplish," the Pentagon official said. "

They hope to have a crew as hostages so they can force Bush to the negotiating table . What is so hard to understand

[jriemer]

Recon missions in "peace time" are never typical. USAF flights lost since 1952:

RB-29 lost over the Sea of Japan, on June 13th, 1952

RB-29 lost over the USSR, on October 7th, 1952

RB-50 lost over the Sea of Japan, on July 29th, 1953

RB-29 and P2V-5, lost over the Sea of Japan, on September 4th, 1954

RB-47 lost over the USSR, on April 14th, 1955

RB-50 lost over the Sea of Japan, on September 10th, 1956

RB-57 lost over the Black Sea on December 24th, 1957

EC-130 lost over the USSR, on September 2nd, 1958

U2 lost over the USSR on May 1st, 1960

EC-47 lost over East Germany on May 25th, 1960

RB-47H lost over the Barents Sea on July 1st, 1960

U2 lost over Cuba on October 27th, 1962

RB-66 lost over East Germany on March 10th, 1964

RB-57F lost near Odessa, USSR, on December 14th, 1965

KA-3B lost over the South China Sea on January 1st, 1966

KC-135R crashed shortly after takeoff from Offutt AFB, NE, July 17th, 1967

RC-135S lost in the Aleutians on March 10th, 1969

EC-121K lost over the Sea of Japan on April 15th, 1969

RC-135E lost over the Bering Sea on June 5th, 1969

U-8 lost over the USSR on October 21st, 1970

CH-47 lost over North Korea on July 14th, 1977

RC-135S lost in the Aleutians on March 15th, 1981

RC-135T crashed on approach to Valdez, AK, on February 26th, 1985

RC-7B lost over Columbia on July 23rd, 1999

EP-3E forced down on Hainan, China, on April 1st, 2001

Source -http://www.geocities.com/struwwellpeter/cobraball.html

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I don't think there's much more the NK's can do right now but fire a few antique rockets into the sea of Japan. I was surprised that they have Mig 29's, but this just confirms that little happens in NK without the knowledge and tacit approval of the Red Chinese.
W will deal with them if the time comes and not before.

[gridlock]

When a little dog barks, look for the master holding the leash.