The United States’ top officer in the Pacific announced that Russia has reached an agreement with North Korea to send MiG-29 and Su-27 fighter jets to Pyongyang in exchange for North Korean troops assisting Moscow in the ongoing invasion of Ukraine should.

Admiral Samuel Paparo, the leader of the US Indo-Pacific Command, made the announcement during his address at the Reagan National Defense Forum on December 7.

Paparo said the deal involves Russia supplying North Korea with “impressive but early fourth-generation fighter jets.”

However, Paparo did not specify how many aircraft would be transferred. In return, Pyongyang has already sent around 12,000 soldiers to fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.

Paparo pointed out that North Korea’s military assistance was offered voluntarily and without any request from Moscow. Although these soldiers are not yet in active combat, they are believed to be stationed in combat zones within Ukraine.

North Korea is likely asking for more than just planes in return. Paparo said Pyongyang may be seeking advanced military technologies, including ballistic missile re-entry vehicles, advanced submarine systems and improved air defense capabilities. Such a deal would strengthen North Korea’s military position in the region.

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This growing military partnership between Russia and North Korea mirrors similar agreements Moscow has reached with other U.S. adversaries in return for their support in the ongoing war.

In November 2023, Iran announced that it would receive Russian Su-35 fighter jets and Mi-28 attack helicopters. Last year, Tehran also received Yak-130 fighter trainers. According to reports, Tehran may acquire the S-400 advanced missile defense system in the future.

In September, US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell claimed that Moscow was reciprocating its help in rebuilding “Russia’s war machine” with support in areas where it has traditionally been reluctant to support Beijing.

These include advanced submarine, aviation and missile technologies, marking a notable shift in their strategic cooperation.

The exchange underscores Russia’s growing dependence on its allies to maintain the ongoing war in Ukraine amid international sanctions.

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Admiral Paparo’s comments come at a time of political turmoil in South Korea. President Yoon Suk Yeol narrowly survived an impeachment vote after facing backlash over his brief declaration of martial law – a move some are calling a failed coup.

Yoon publicly apologized on December 7, just days after he lifted the martial law order and fired his defense minister, Kim Yong Hyun.

Despite the political drama, Paparo expressed confidence in the stability of South Korea’s security apparatus. “There is a bit of political uncertainty in Korea. I believe there is stability from a safety perspective,” he added.

North Korea is seizing a rare opportunity to revitalize its aging air force

Moscow’s increasing reliance on North Korea in its military campaign against Ukraine has created a much-needed opportunity for Pyongyang to revitalize its long-aging air force.

North Korea’s air force, officially known as the Korean People’s Army Air and Anti-Aircraft Force (KPAAF), has long been considered the weakest arm of its military and has stagnated over the past three decades.

According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), the KPAAF’s current inventory includes over 400 fighter aircraft, 80 light bombers and more than 200 transport aircraft.

However, most of these aircraft are Soviet-era relics and many are considered unserviceable due to their age – some are 40 to 80 years old.

Historically, the KPAAF was heavily dependent on the Soviet Union and China for aircraft. Significant expansion occurred in the 1950s as part of reconstruction after the Korean War.

North Korea became the sole foreign recipient of the Soviet S-25 surface-to-air missile system, an air defense platform originally intended to protect Moscow from aerial threats.

However, after the Cold War, access to advanced equipment from these suppliers was restricted, and international sanctions related to North Korea’s nuclear weapons program further impaired its defense capabilities.

The Air Force has a limited number of comparatively modern aircraft, such as MiG-29 fighters, MiG-23 interceptors and Su-25 fighter jets. These were acquired in the late 1980s and early 1990s and are primarily tasked with defending Pyongyang.

A possible deal for Russian fighter jets such as the MiG-29 and Su-27 could mark a major step forward for Pyongyang’s air force. The delivery would improve its capabilities and counter decades of stagnation, although without achieving parity with the air power of regional adversaries such as South Korea.

This revelation about the possible deal comes more than a year after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s important diplomatic visit to Russia in September 2023. Kim traveled abroad for the first time since 2019 and met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and senior military officials.

One of the highlights of his visit was a tour of the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Plant, where Sukhoi jets including the Su-27, Su-30, Su-35 and the Su-57 stealth fighter are built.

Kim took particular interest in the Su-57, a fifth-generation stealth fighter, and was seen inspecting its cockpit and performance during a test flight. The Su-35, considered one of the world’s most advanced fighter aircraft, also caught Kim’s attention.

In fact, in 2015, a senior South Korean military official claims that North Korea had officially requested to purchase Su-35 jets from Russia. However, no agreement was reached at that time.

While North Korea’s desire for state-of-the-art aircraft such as the Su-35 is well known, the country’s limited budget is a major obstacle to acquiring such high-tech jets.

A small Su-35 fleet could cost more than $1 billion, a price likely unaffordable for North Korea – even with possible discounts Moscow could offer in return for Pyongyang’s support in the ongoing conflict.

Instead, the deal with Russia appears to focus on cheaper aircraft such as the MiG-29 and Su-27, which would still represent a significant improvement to the KPAAF’s current fleet.

Additionally, North Korea could seek to modernize its MiG-29 fleet as part of this broader military improvement. For North Korea, modernizing its air force could be seen as a strategic move to counter South Korea’s increasingly advanced air capabilities.

Su-27 Flanker

As Admiral Samuel Paparo noted, the Su-27 is an early fourth-generation fighter aircraft. First introduced in 1985, the Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker was developed during the Cold War as a Soviet counterpart to American aircraft such as the F-15 and F-14.

Designed in the 1980s, the Su-27 boasted impressive speed and maneuverability and continues to serve in the Russian Air Force today.

In recent years, the Su-27 has made headlines for intercepting NATO fighter jets and drones near Russian airspace. For example, in March 2023, a Russian Su-27 damaged an American MQ-9 Reaper drone, causing it to crash into the Black Sea.

In 2022, another Su-27 fired a missile at a British Royal Air Force reconnaissance aircraft in international airspace. However, the missile missed its target because the pilot was unable to lock on to it.

Sukhoi Su-27 – Wikipedia

The fighter jet can carry up to 10 missiles or a combination of bombs and missiles and is also equipped with a 30mm cannon. Its helmet-mounted sighting system allows it to fire powerful Archer air-to-air missiles and the aircraft can reach speeds of Mach 2.35.

Known for its agility, the Flanker was the primary aircraft of the Russian Knights aerobatic team and became a favorite at air shows. However, it was also involved in fatal accidents during aerobatic demonstrations in 1995 and 2009.

During its development, several test pilots tragically died. Nevertheless, the Su-27 has earned a reputation for its performance, setting over 30 world records for altitude and payload capacity.

Mikoyan MiG-29 Fulcrum

The MiG-29, known by NATO as the “Fulcrum,” was one of the first Soviet aircraft to incorporate lightweight aluminum-titanium alloys. This design decision helped reduce the aircraft’s overall weight and complexity, making it a more maneuverable and efficient platform for its time.

Its design also enabled impressive capabilities at high angles of attack thanks to the clearly flared root extension of the wing leading edge.

Over the years, many nations have recognized the performance of the MiG-29 and sought to incorporate it into their fleets. Fulcrum export models have been delivered to countries such as India, Iran, Iraq and others.

The MiG-29 was an improvement over its predecessors in terms of armament. The fighter has seven external hardpoints capable of carrying a variety of weapons, including two R-27 medium-range air-to-air missiles, six R-60 and R-73 short-range missiles, bombs and unguided rockets.

Despite these advances, the MiG-29 had suffered some damage to its reputation in air combat. In the late 1980s, two MiG-29s flown by Syrian pilots were reportedly shot down in a dogfight with Israeli F-15C Eagles.

But the ongoing conflict in Ukraine has demonstrated the continued effectiveness of the MiG-29 when equipped with modern Western missiles. The Ukrainian Air Force has managed to effectively use these jets in combat, demonstrating their adaptability and potential in combination with advanced missile technology.

However, the Su-27 and MiG-29 would have difficulty countering the South Korean Air Force, which operates modern fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets.

Additionally, South Korea recently received approval from Washington for a $6.2 billion upgrade to its fleet of 59 F-15K fighters, which will further improve its air capabilities.