US Reconnaissance Aircraft Resume Flights Over the Korean Peninsula

US Air Force RC-135W reconnaissance aircraft (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter]U.S. reconnaissance aircraft have been dispatched over South Korean airspace for three consecutive days since the 28th.

According to the aircraft tracking site 'No callsign' on the 30th, a U.S. Air Force RC-135W Rivet Joint reconnaissance aircraft was detected flying from Incheon airspace toward Seongnam in the morning.

The RC-135W, the U.S. Air Force's main signals intelligence reconnaissance aircraft, is equipped to detect signals emitted from ground remote telemetry equipment before missile launches and analyze warhead trajectories. Later in the afternoon, the U.S. Forces Korea's Crazy Hawk (EO-5C) reconnaissance aircraft and a U.S. Air Force KC-135R refueling tanker flew from Chungcheong Province airspace toward the inland metropolitan area.

On the evenings of the 29th and 28th, the Joint STARS (E-8C) ground surveillance reconnaissance aircraft was dispatched. On the 29th, its flight path was detected from the west coast to the metropolitan area airspace, and on the 28th, it flew from the airspace around Mokpo, Jeollanam-do, inland toward Incheon.

The E-8C, equipped with integrated surveillance and target attack radar systems, precisely monitors ground equipment and troops such as missile bases, field army maneuvers, coastal artillery, and long-range artillery bases, as well as naval vessel movements from an altitude of 8 to 12 km. It can stay airborne for about 9 to 11 hours per flight, with a range of up to 9,270 km.

A military official said, "It appears to be reconnaissance flights to detect potential North Korean provocations in advance following the U.S. presidential election," adding, "Currently, there are no signs indicating that North Korean provocations are imminent."

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