Pie in the sky: North Korea flaunts new aerial assets out of step with its needs



Analysis Pie in the sky: North Korea flaunts new aerial assets out of step with its needs Air force ceremony aimed to evoke a glorious future but ultimately betrayed the DPRK’s ill-conceived modernization plans Joost Oliemans December 2, 2025 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON Kim Jong Un at a celebration for the 80th anniversary of North Korea's air force \| Image: KCNA (Nov. 30, 2025) North Korea celebrated the 80th anniversary of the Korean People’s Air and Anti-Air Force’s (KPAAF) founding in a carefully staged event last week featuring several new weapons designs, some of which reveals where the regime’s air force is headed. The venue for this ostentatious event was Wonsan’s Kalma Airport on the eastern seaboard, a logical setting for a show meant to evoke visions of a glorious future for the KPAAF. The airport’s shiny new runways and facilities have in recent times made it a favorite for air force-related propaganda shows. [p Read More © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. LATEST ANALYSIS 01Likely Russian ship docks in North Korea’s Rason port for first time since May 02Trump doesn’t need a grand deal with Kim, but rather small coordinated actions 03North Korean trade with China rises 3.7% in August thanks to wig exports: data 04North Korea tensions expose Seoul’s uneasy relationship with UN Command 05North Korea’s politburo meeting hints at secret changes to senior officials 06The bureaucracy test: Signs to look for before a Trump-Kim summit 07China has reasons to like Trump’s North Korea outreach — and reasons to worry 08North Korea’s old alliance with Tanzania quietly finds new life

Analysis

Pie in the sky: North Korea flaunts new aerial assets out of step with its needs

Air force ceremony aimed to evoke a glorious future but ultimately betrayed the DPRK’s ill-conceived modernization plans

Joost Oliemans December 2, 2025

Pie in the sky: North Korea flaunts new aerial assets out of step with its needs

Kim Jong Un at a celebration for the 80th anniversary of North Korea's air force | Image: KCNA (Nov. 30, 2025)

North Korea celebrated the 80th anniversary of the Korean People’s Air and Anti-Air Force’s (KPAAF) founding in a carefully staged event last week featuring several new weapons designs, some of which reveals where the regime’s air force is headed.

The venue for this ostentatious event was Wonsan’s Kalma Airport on the eastern seaboard, a logical setting for a show meant to evoke visions of a glorious future for the KPAAF. The airport’s shiny new runways and facilities have in recent times made it a favorite for air force-related propaganda shows.

LATEST ANALYSIS

01Likely Russian ship docks in North Korea’s Rason port for first time since May
02Trump doesn’t need a grand deal with Kim, but rather small coordinated actions
03North Korean trade with China rises 3.7% in August thanks to wig exports: data
04North Korea tensions expose Seoul’s uneasy relationship with UN Command
05North Korea’s politburo meeting hints at secret changes to senior officials
06The bureaucracy test: Signs to look for before a Trump-Kim summit
07China has reasons to like Trump’s North Korea outreach — and reasons to worry
08North Korea’s old alliance with Tanzania quietly finds new life

Pie in the sky: North Korea flaunts new aerial assets out of step with its needs

LATEST ANALYSIS

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Joost Oliemans