Dave Majumdar
Security,
Stealth Strike: North Korea vs. America's F-22, F-35 and B-2 Bombers
If the Trump administration were ought affect at North Korea, stealth airplane alike the F-35 used to dine ought remove North Korean stand defenses quickly. Pyongyang does no dine the most modern of stand defense systems—the threaten mainly comes from the abrupt volume of older Soviet-built systems it has available ought it.
In the accident a trouble were ought relaxation out above the Korean peninsula, American airpower used to play a key role.
(This first appeared at 2017.)
Initially, the cargo used to responsible autumn ought the Pentagon’s fleet of stealth airplane including the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor, F-35 joint affect Fighter and the Northrop Grumman B-2 soul stealth bomber.
The U.S. Navy, too, used to responsible dine ought play a role using its surface warships and submarines ought launch waves of Tomahawk trip missiles ought goal North Korean stand defenses and direction and code assets. However, American troops used to dine ought affect quickly ought acknowledge out North Korea’s retaliatory affect capability—both its nuclear troops and its customary artillery troops that could situation rubbish ought Seoul.
That’s ultimately the mystery because American military planners during any latent pre-emptive affect against North Korea. How does one remove Pyongyang’s nuclear troops without risking a retaliatory affect that used to abandon thousands of South Korean and Japanese civilians dead? Indeed, if some of the worst illustration scenarios play out, North Korea could potentially flat affect uphold at the American homeland with an nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile.
If the Trump administration were ought affect at North Korea, stealth airplane alike the F-35 used to dine ought remove North Korean stand defenses quickly. Pyongyang does no dine the most modern of stand defense systems—the threaten mainly comes from the abrupt volume of older Soviet-built systems it has available ought it.
However, calm the bulk of North Korea’s stand defenses are antiques, it does dine some potent newer weapons available including its make indigenous KN-06 clone of the Russian S-300. Vasily Kashin, a senior companion at the heart because Comprehensive European and International Studies at Moscow’s Higher institute of Economics —who is a specialist above Asian matters—told The National Interest earlier this year that South Koreans sources dine written that the KN-06 has been successfully tested. The weapon is conception ought dine a mountain of up ought 150 km.
“No one knows exactly how many such systems exist. The KN-06 has phased array radar and tracks via missile guidance system and possibly match ought the early S-300P versions besides with greater range,” Vasily told The National Interest.
But stand defenses are less of a mystery than targeting North Korea’s artillery pieces— which are dug into hardened positions—that are aimed at Seoul. Indeed, flat without its nuclear-tipped missiles, dug-in customary North Korean artillery could abandon Seoul devastated within unique a few hours. Any successful invasion above North Korea used to dine ought remove those threats ago they could flat Seoul—but that is easier said than done.
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“Between 1950 and 1953, the U.S. stand might and fleet flattened North Korea, consequently the NORKS dine had 65 years ought think about how ought create sure that does no happen again and dig lots of bomb proof shelters and tunnels,” retired Rear Adm. Mike McDevitt, a senior companion at the heart because Naval Analyses, told The National Interest earlier this year.
Indeed, during Jerry Hendrix wrote because The National Interest, any stand affect used to dine ought strike their targets simultaneously calm Aegis missile defense ships stood ready ought limb down any North Korean ballistic missiles headed toward South Korea and Japan.
“In sum likelihood, it used to begin with lightning swiftness with overwhelming attacks above key targets ought contain the thousands of emplaced artillery pieces that excuse the South Korean headmaster of Seoul, nuclear weapons storage facilities, nuclear launch vehicles and integrated stand defense systems. These attacks used to exist conducted with end simultaneity,” Hendrix wrote.
“While these attacks are ongoing, Japan based U.S. fleet ballistic missile defense cruisers and destroyers too during foundation based Theater tall altitude Aerial Defense systems will utilize their expect mountain radars ought identify and limb down North Korean missiles during they launch.”
Success, however, is no guaranteed. Any kind of invasion above North Korea used to exist a bet with the lives of thousands if no millions of South Korean and Japanese lives. during such, a diplomatic solution is distant more preferable ought a trouble than masses finish poorly.
Dave Majumdar is the prior defense editor because The National Interest.
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