Korean People's Army Air Force

Korean People's Army Air Force
朝鮮人民軍 空軍
Chosŏn-inmin'gun kong'gun
Patch of the Korean People's Army Air and Anti Air Force
Founded1946; 78 years ago (1946)
Country North Korea
AllegianceWorkers' Party of Korea
TypeAir force
Space force
Role
Size
  • 110,000 active personnel
  • 950 aircraft [1]
  • 1 satellite
Part ofKorean People's Army
HeadquartersPyongyang
Engagements
Commanders
CommanderGeneral Kim Kwang-hyok[4]
Notable
commanders
  • Vice Marshal Cho Myong-rok
  • Colonel-General Oh Gum-chol
Insignia
Roundel
FlagFront:

Back:
Aircraft flown
AttackSu-25, Su-7, Nanchang Q-5
BomberHarbin H-5
FighterShenyang J-5, Shenyang J-6, Chengdu F-7, MiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-29,
HelicopterMD 500, Mi-2, Mi-8, Mi-14, Mi-24, Mi-26
TrainerFT-2, FT-5
TransportAn-24, PAC P-750

The Korean People's Army Air Force (KPAF; Korean: 조선인민군 공군, romanizedChosŏn-inmin'gun konggun; Hanja: 朝鮮人民軍 空軍 ) is the unified military aviation force of North Korea. It is the second largest branch of the Korean People's Army comprising an estimated 110,000 members.[5] As of 2024, it is estimated to possess some 570 combat aircraft, 200 helicopters, and a few transporters, mostly of decades-old Soviet and Chinese origin.[6][7][8] Its primary task is to defend North Korean airspace. In April 2022, the Korean People's Army Air and Anti-Air Force name was changed to Korean People's Army Air Force.[9]

  1. ^ "Flightglobal - World Air Forces 2015 (PDF)" (PDF). Flightglobal.com. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2014-12-19. Retrieved 2015-06-07.
  2. ^ Richard M Bennett. "Missiles and madness". Asia Times. Archived from the original on 2011-09-01. Retrieved 2011-08-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ^ David Cenciotti. "Israeli F-4s Actually Fought North Korean MiGs During the Yom Kippur War". Business Insider. Retrieved 2019-03-27.
  4. ^ A KCNA Report calls Kim Kwang Hyok "Commander of the KPA Air Force"
  5. ^ North Korea Country Study Archived 2005-02-26 at the Wayback Machine, pp. 18-19
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference World Air Forces 2024 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference DIA was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Jo, Haena (10 February 2020). "North Korea's air force". Military Balance Blog. International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). Archived from the original on 27 April 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  9. ^ "2022 Defense White Papers (South Korea)". 23 February 2022. Archived from the original on 25 November 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2023.