[DPRK] 5th generation aircraft V1.0
© A S☫heil presentation; First published 21 April 2024; Updated 21 April 2024
1. Table of Contents
1. Table of Contents
2. Introduction
3. Background
4. First Iranian announcement
5. First satellite images from the DPRK
6. Specs
7. Forecast
8. Conclusion
2. Introduction
After the modernization of its ballistic missile forces, nuclear arsenal, land forces, the DPRK has recently started to upgrade its naval forces.
The last military branch to be modernized to the world level will be its air force.
3. Background
Recent satellite imagery acquired on 1st May 2023, shows that the ongoing modernization and expansion project at the Korean Peoples’ Air and Air Defense Force (KPAF)’s Sunchon Airbase is nearing completion.
Ten aircraft are present on the taxiway outside the northern entrance of the Sunchon Airbase’s underground facility (hanger).
There is an unidentified aircraft. This aircraft is unusual as it measures approximately 13.8 meters long and has a wingspan of approximately 10.4 meters—considerably smaller than the nearby MiG-29.
There has been a heated discussion on the Internet about what this unique-looking aircraft photographed by reconnaissance satellites is.
After all, with North Korea's technological strength, it is definitely not possible to develop manned fighter jets, but its drones are still somewhat capable. Considering that the Air Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran can produce a Qaher-313 fighter jet by its own hands, it is not impossible for North Korea to produce an aircraft entirely by its own hands.
4. First Iranian announcement
Iran officially stated that it is working on a stealth UCAV named Sofreh Mahi on 7th February 2010. Iranian officials reported that the drone has a shape similar to the Eagle ray resulting in the drone being called the Sofreh Mahi (the Persian for "Eagle Ray"). The drone is also made out of special materials that absorb radar energy. These two features give it the ability to evade enemy radars.
Iran Successfully Tests 1st Radar-Evading Aircraft
News number: 8811181832
18:34 | 2010-02-07 Defence
TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran has successfully tested the research model of its first home-made radar-evading aircraft named 'Sofreh Mahi'(flatfish), a senior Iranian army commander announced on Sunday.
"The research model of this plane which staged a successful flight passed all radar-evading tests that we desired," Lieutenant Commander of the Iranian Army Air Force General Aziz Nasirzadeh told FNA.
The General said that the flatfish-inspired shape of the aircraft as well as the materials used in its structure have provided the aircraft with the radar-evading capability.
He also announced that once the aircraft passes further tests and its features and capabilities are completed, the Defense Ministry will start its mass production.
Production of the actual size as well as mounting and testing weapons and a number of systems on the aircraft are the next phases before we can start its mass production, Nasirzadeh said.
Iran in June successfully tested a home-made radar-evading Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) with bombing capabilities.
"This airplane is a model drone built on a one-seventh scale for the defense ministry," Commander of the Iranian Army Air Force General Hassan Shah Safi said, adding that the UAV bomber would be produced in virtual size and would join the Iranian Air Force fleet in the near future.
He explained that the UAV has been designed and manufactured for reconnaissance and bombing missions, considering its radar-evading capability.
5. First satellite images from the DPRK
▲ 西方的军事观察家们直接在旁边标注了一个“Unidentified Aircraft”（不明类型飞机）的字样。Does the DPRK have 5th generation aircrafts?
6. Specs
Sofreh Mahi [سفره ماهی] (Eagle Ray) UCAV
Mar 2021
▲ Nahaja UAVs
The other UAV, which was shown along with "Sofreh Mahi", was more similar to the conventional configuration of the fifth generation fighters and, like "Sofreh Mahi", it only uses a spaced V-shaped tail at its end.
The presence of a canopy-like protrusion on it, which was more pronounced than the similar one on the fish table, led to the speculation that these two drones are small-scale examples of Nahaja's future manned aircraft designs.
Another point about these two drones was the location of their air inlets. In the "Eagle Ray", the air intake was placed in the lower part of the body, and in the other drone, in the part on the body and behind the canopy-like projection
It seems that the self-sufficiency force's researchers of Nahaja UAV, in addition to choosing two completely different configurations in these two UAVs, also intended to test the advantages and disadvantages of two air intake configurations.
In any case, more information about these plans and the development of other planes based on the knowledge and experience gained from their experiments has not been published.
▲ Two completely different configurations in these two UAVs
Version with dorsal air intake (right):
▲ 华丽的机背进气道和机身机翼融合体 Gorgeous fuselage of the dorsal air intake and the fuselage and wings.
|1|▲ 伊朗阅兵式惊现隐身战机模型
7. Forecast
Iranian sources have hinted at the existence of research on a manned version. We will have to wait first for the official disclosure of the unmanned UCAV by the DPRK, then after a testing phase that could take several months, and depending on whether the results are judged satisfying we might see the manned version.
8. Conclusion
The DPRK has just started to upgrade its legacy navy from the Soviet era. It is out of question it can upgrade at the same time its air force.
This aircraft is therefore certainly another Iranian project outsourced to North Korea. Delayed for several years by the Rouhani administration, these projects from the Ahmadinejad era have only recently been restarted by President Raisi. And the manned version of this UCAV is already in the pipeline.
© A S☫heil presentation; First published 21 April 2024; Updated 21 April 2024
1. Table of Contents
1. Table of Contents
2. Introduction
3. Background
4. First Iranian announcement
5. First satellite images from the DPRK
6. Specs
7. Forecast
8. Conclusion
2. Introduction
After the modernization of its ballistic missile forces, nuclear arsenal, land forces, the DPRK has recently started to upgrade its naval forces.
The last military branch to be modernized to the world level will be its air force.
3. Background
Recent satellite imagery acquired on 1st May 2023, shows that the ongoing modernization and expansion project at the Korean Peoples’ Air and Air Defense Force (KPAF)’s Sunchon Airbase is nearing completion.
Ten aircraft are present on the taxiway outside the northern entrance of the Sunchon Airbase’s underground facility (hanger).
There is an unidentified aircraft. This aircraft is unusual as it measures approximately 13.8 meters long and has a wingspan of approximately 10.4 meters—considerably smaller than the nearby MiG-29.
There has been a heated discussion on the Internet about what this unique-looking aircraft photographed by reconnaissance satellites is.
After all, with North Korea's technological strength, it is definitely not possible to develop manned fighter jets, but its drones are still somewhat capable. Considering that the Air Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran can produce a Qaher-313 fighter jet by its own hands, it is not impossible for North Korea to produce an aircraft entirely by its own hands.
4. First Iranian announcement
Iran officially stated that it is working on a stealth UCAV named Sofreh Mahi on 7th February 2010. Iranian officials reported that the drone has a shape similar to the Eagle ray resulting in the drone being called the Sofreh Mahi (the Persian for "Eagle Ray"). The drone is also made out of special materials that absorb radar energy. These two features give it the ability to evade enemy radars.
Iran Successfully Tests 1st Radar-Evading Aircraft
News number: 8811181832
18:34 | 2010-02-07 Defence
TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran has successfully tested the research model of its first home-made radar-evading aircraft named 'Sofreh Mahi'(flatfish), a senior Iranian army commander announced on Sunday.
"The research model of this plane which staged a successful flight passed all radar-evading tests that we desired," Lieutenant Commander of the Iranian Army Air Force General Aziz Nasirzadeh told FNA.
The General said that the flatfish-inspired shape of the aircraft as well as the materials used in its structure have provided the aircraft with the radar-evading capability.
He also announced that once the aircraft passes further tests and its features and capabilities are completed, the Defense Ministry will start its mass production.
Production of the actual size as well as mounting and testing weapons and a number of systems on the aircraft are the next phases before we can start its mass production, Nasirzadeh said.
Iran in June successfully tested a home-made radar-evading Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) with bombing capabilities.
"This airplane is a model drone built on a one-seventh scale for the defense ministry," Commander of the Iranian Army Air Force General Hassan Shah Safi said, adding that the UAV bomber would be produced in virtual size and would join the Iranian Air Force fleet in the near future.
He explained that the UAV has been designed and manufactured for reconnaissance and bombing missions, considering its radar-evading capability.
5. First satellite images from the DPRK
▲ 西方的军事观察家们直接在旁边标注了一个“Unidentified Aircraft”（不明类型飞机）的字样。Does the DPRK have 5th generation aircrafts?
6. Specs
Sofreh Mahi [سفره ماهی] (Eagle Ray) UCAV
Mar 2021
▲ Nahaja UAVs
The other UAV, which was shown along with "Sofreh Mahi", was more similar to the conventional configuration of the fifth generation fighters and, like "Sofreh Mahi", it only uses a spaced V-shaped tail at its end.
The presence of a canopy-like protrusion on it, which was more pronounced than the similar one on the fish table, led to the speculation that these two drones are small-scale examples of Nahaja's future manned aircraft designs.
Another point about these two drones was the location of their air inlets. In the "Eagle Ray", the air intake was placed in the lower part of the body, and in the other drone, in the part on the body and behind the canopy-like projection
It seems that the self-sufficiency force's researchers of Nahaja UAV, in addition to choosing two completely different configurations in these two UAVs, also intended to test the advantages and disadvantages of two air intake configurations.
In any case, more information about these plans and the development of other planes based on the knowledge and experience gained from their experiments has not been published.
▲ Two completely different configurations in these two UAVs
Version with dorsal air intake (right):
▲ 华丽的机背进气道和机身机翼融合体 Gorgeous fuselage of the dorsal air intake and the fuselage and wings.
|1|▲ 伊朗阅兵式惊现隐身战机模型
7. Forecast
Iranian sources have hinted at the existence of research on a manned version. We will have to wait first for the official disclosure of the unmanned UCAV by the DPRK, then after a testing phase that could take several months, and depending on whether the results are judged satisfying we might see the manned version.
8. Conclusion
The DPRK has just started to upgrade its legacy navy from the Soviet era. It is out of question it can upgrade at the same time its air force.
This aircraft is therefore certainly another Iranian project outsourced to North Korea. Delayed for several years by the Rouhani administration, these projects from the Ahmadinejad era have only recently been restarted by President Raisi. And the manned version of this UCAV is already in the pipeline.
