Not so secret underground fighter bases in North Korea

Not so secret underground fighter bases in North Korea

www.theaustralian.news.com.au

SEOUL: North Korean military engineers are completing an underground runway beneath a mountain that can protect fighter aircraft from attack until they take off at high speed through the mouth of a tunnel.

Reports yesterday said the 2000m runway was a few minutes' flying time from the tense front line where the Korean People's Army faces soldiers from the US and South Korea.

The project was identified by an air force defector from North Korea and captured on a satellite image by Google Earth, according to reports in the South Korean press last week.

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Related News Links:
www.dailynk.com
www.timesonline.co.uk

The above link is sat. photos from google earth. :-)
That Kim Jong fellow is one to watch isn't he.

www.theaustralian.news.com.au
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 28/4/2008 by khunmoon]

This is just so insanely cool. I'm thinking Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, where the fighters fly out of that cave and have to get past the droid army ground fire.
I'd hate to imagine the amount of noise this would generate if you were inadvertently stuck in the tunnel, or the carnage of a tire blowout.

But what would really impress me would be Kim having his fighters land back in the tunnel
Since I'm rather aeronautically challenged, there's no chance of a reverse wing-in-ground effect being created, is there, if the roof is a bit low?

Seeing that makes me wonder how many of those type bases the US has as well. Seriously, I don't think I've seen anything cooler or that has a more "super-villain" type theme to it.

Well the nucleur powered drills can bore 3 miles a day equipped with thermine lasers and grinding wheel.

so id imagine they have built alot.

www.ufomystic.com...

theres a nuclur powered drill just a grinding wheel tho the newer ones have the thermine lasers as well to bore.

[edit on 28-4-2008 by NWOmaskedman]

reply to post by ppskylight


What are the coordinates for this Google Earth Image? And is it confirmed this is the location?

Its not going to do much good when someone craters the run way. They better not leave the door open as a nice two thousand pound thermobaric bomb would kill everyone inside.

This is so amazing!

I found the coordinates: 39°5'37"N 127°24'44"E
Thanks to this website: wikimapia.org...

Or just paste it into maps.google.com...

This is more a show of desperation and an admission from the DPRK that is stands no chance to deny the US or ROK from gaining air superiority to conduct air operations. If such locations are numerous, tightly grouped and are actually kept secret until hostilities commence, then they may provide some temporary counter air and air to ground capability. However if there are just a few said installations and their locations known then they can be quickly taken care of. Targeting the outside facilities (features) and using several massive ground penetrating bombs in consecutive waves each hitting the same point will pretty much not only destroy the entrance and all opening to the site, but also reach deep into the structure itself. Even if we cannot plot the location of each site, which is highly unlikely given their immense footprint and inherent design, we still have enough ISR assets to constantly monitor DPRK territory and quickly identify each emerging target during the very early stages of hostility. Following that there will be an immediate attack upon such targets as they appear via aircraft, ground and or and ship launched missiles. Without a sufficient air defense network, and capable offensive air arm the North Koreans are building essentially a very expensive bombing target for the allies.

Even their few aircraft, which might survive and make it to the air from one or two complexes not taken out by the allies in advance, would be quickly shot down by loitering ally fighters before they even reach ROK airspace and territory. Our air to air and air to ground capabilities far surpass that of the DPRK, in virtually every category, it would be a turkey shoot. Their current air defense network (system) is dated, not layered nor numerous or mobile enough. It would quickly be overwhelmed and destroyed by a coordinated ally SEAD/DEAD/EW/LO package.

North Korea's best bet has always been to have hundreds if not thousands of concealed and mobile artillery and short range missile units. They would be fired en mass in fast repeating waves of attack upon South Korean cities to cause as much collateral damage and casualties as possible. Then to use their outdated, but rather large, ground force in an all out assault on the border to bog down the ally units defending the area. Ultimately both attempts will fail as the allies are too superior for North Korea to win. However they still can prolong the conflict and inflict heavy casualties and damage upon the South, both in terms of infrastructure, civilian lives, and military losses. North Korea's Navy and Air Force have always never stood a chance should hostilities break out.

[edit on 28-4-2008 by WestPoint23]

Two more sources; english.chosun.com...

english.donga.com...

Cheers

reply to post by WestPoint23


Mmm, I wouldn't say it's an act of desperation.
I don't think they're so much afraid of losing air superiority from american aircraft, as they are more afraid of cruise missiles.

If you had cruise missiles, you'd knock out everything you can before waltzing into the country. This form of base certainly prevents that.


And I'm also with all of you on this... this is so AWESOME!

Why don't we have these?


Oh, heh, zoom out and go further north... theres a rather large city up there. I'm surprised it took a military defector to uncover this... the people in the city are directly under the flight path.

[edit on 29-4-2008 by johnsky]

Originally posted by johnsky
Mmm, I wouldn't say it's an act of desperation.

That's nice, but in military circles building an airfield underground is known as tier one level desperation.

Originally posted by johnsky
I don't think they're so much afraid of losing air superiority from american aircraft, as they are more afraid of cruise missiles. If you had cruise missiles, you'd knock out everything you can before waltzing into the country.

That is overly simplified, cruise missiles are only good against known and fixed targets. They cannot be used to destroy highly mobile, hidden and emerging systems due to their slow speed and response time. However a constant CAP will ensure that everything from a hidden airfield to an individual person can be monitored and immediately targeted. Once you lose control of the air it is virtually impossible to win a conventional ground war, all of their ground sites, systems and infantry would be devastated from the air via CAP. So yes, the North Koreans are very much afraid of losing any sort of air presence given the implications it has towards their overall war strategy.

Originally posted by johnsky
This form of base certainly prevents that.

No it does not, it is just as vulnerable when and if it loses it's element of surprise as a regual air base. Tell me, how exactly is this base going to work when every above ground system which it utilizes is destroyed and when all ventilation and openings are constantly bombed? It's nothing but an elaborate, expensive coffin.

Originally posted by johnsky
Why don't we have these?

Because they are unnecessary, pointless and counterproductive, at least for us.