Kim Jong-un Shows New Missile Plans and Russian Bears Fly Around the Korean Peninsula

The Ulchi Freedom Guardian military drills are now underway and it seems Kim Jong-un still wants to give the US and its allies the finger , the KCNA state news agency has released pictures of the leader visiting the Academy of Defence Sciences in Pyongyang pointing at things and seemingly inadvertently showing off new missile plans for an ICBM and submarine launched missiles.

Hwasong-13 appears to be a three-stage ICBM (Inter Continental Ballistic Missile), while the chart showing Pukguksong-3, although largely obscured by officials, is an Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM). It's not the first time that North Korea has "accidentally" left details of important developments in the background of photo-shoots, and this is seen by analysts as a means of showing off its military power or sending messages to its foes.
www.bbc.co.uk...

In another picture the leader is seen sitting at a table in discussion with military personnel , on the far wall is an aerial view of Andersen Air Force Base in Guam.

Meanwhile a Russian flight of Russian TU-95 Nuclear bombers (Bears) and support aircraft flew around the Korean Peninsula yesterday having flown over the Pacific Ocean, the Sea of Japan, the Yellow Sea picking up an escort of Japanese and South Korean fighters on the way.

A spokeswoman for the Russian foreign ministry had this to say about the situation.

"The US and South Korea holding yet more large-scale military and naval exercises does not help reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula,"
"We urge all sides to exercise maximum caution. Given the arms build-up in the region, any rash move or even an unintended incident could spark a military conflict."

"Our long-range aviation pilots, according to an established plan, regularly carry out flights over neutral waters over the Atlantic, the Arctic, the Black Sea and the Pacific Ocean from their bases and from tactical airfields," the defense ministry said in the same statement.
www.reuters.com...

No Doom porn just another day of uncertainty and the build up to what is seemingly becoming inevitable,

Russia shares a border with North Korea and is directly across the Sea of Japan from Japan. They're allowed to be there in their own territory near their own homeland, so it's not really "news" that they're flying in that area.

But the war mongers who can't explain why the US is there want you to believe that the Russians shouldn't be there.

a reply to: LanceCorvette

They weren't in their own territory they were over international waters , it isn't a case of whether they were allowed to be there but the message they are sending by being there at the time of the Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercises.

I wonder if this has anything to do with the recent sanctions?

a reply to: Arnie123

I wouldn't be surprised if that was part of the motivation.

a reply to: gortex

And I think it will get worse, NK is used to blackmailing the West and now Trump is not playing along...

a reply to: manuelram16

Not sure about that , I think Trump is playing right into Mr Kim's hands by reacting with aggression , Kim needs the threat from America to make himself look strong and rally support at home.
Trump's sanctions against Chinese and Russian business and citizens is also good news for Kim as it leaves America isolated after they had gained the limited support of China.

originally posted by: Arnie123
I wonder if this has anything to do with the recent sanctions?

MY gut tells me it has more to do with China's response to lifting those sanctions immediately than to the President Trump's and congress' agreement to apply them.

a reply to: gortex

Of course they're going to be there for an exercise. The point of the flights is to gather signals intelligence. This includes radio, radar, and everything else they can get. During an exercise there are signals galore top vacuum.

During the last RIMPAC China sent an intelligence ship to do the same thing, even though they were participating in the exercise. It used to be something you could set a watch by. An exercise would start and people would fly by.

originally posted by: gortex
a reply to: manuelram16

Not sure about that , I think Trump is playing right into Mr Kim's hands by reacting with aggression , Kim needs the threat from America to make himself look strong and rally support at home.

Agreed! Also to give rise to his reason for acting out in such defiance. He is proving his point to the world if President Trump keeps playing his game.

Trump's sanctions against Chinese and Russian business and citizens is also good news for Kim as it leaves America isolated after they had gained the limited support of China.

Indeed.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I can understand that for the A-50s and their support but the inclusion of TU-95's seems like muscle flexing to me especially after the US sanctions announcement.

a reply to: gortex

Russia doesn't have an RC-135 type platform. The A-50 is an AWACS, not a dedicated platform like the RC. They've always used Tu-95s for that mission. They used to have a Tu-95 that stripped out some of the weapons gear to install intercept equipment to be better at the job. The standard Tu-95 has the radar intercept gear to get a lot of data, and it provides their crews with training. It's also a good test for their modernized aircraft that are rolling off the line now.

a reply to: gortex


Be real concerned if tu-160's start buzzin around

a reply to: alphabetaone

They use them for the same thing they use the Tu-95 for.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: alphabetaone

They use them for the same thing they use the Tu-95 for.

Minus the turboprops of course. They're a bit more strategic and clearly faster.

a reply to: alphabetaone

Obviously, although the Bear is a lot faster than people think. But they're still there to catch radar and radio signals, just like the -95 does. It's an old game that's been going on for almost 60 years. The only difference now is they don't shoot at our planes anymore.

a reply to: gortex

How would this benefit Kim and what support does be have?

The perception that America is being isolated is a bit far fetched, global finances and commitments ensure the opposite.

The region is HOT, lets not forget India as well. Whatever the case is, china isn't doing itself any favors by responding in such away. In fact, it almost seems as if china greenlighted Kim to do this. Just my opinion that is.

Lets be honest, both sides won't give way, so we are in for some interesting times.

The Russians? well, Russians are just being Russians.

a reply to: gortex
I do believe Lil Kim a smart dictator, he will keep his kingdom as long as he can, but with no help from America....

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: alphabetaone

Obviously, although the Bear is a lot faster than people think. But they're still there to catch radar and radio signals, just like the -95 does. It's an old game that's been going on for almost 60 years. The only difference now is they don't shoot at our planes anymore.

I'm grateful, for the moment, that they don't shoot our planes anymore! But yes, it's been a long-standing game you're right.