South Korea's first Global Hawk spy plane arrives

This screenshot photo from the U.S. aerospace giant Northrop Grumman's website shows its RQ-4 Block 30 Global Hawk aircraft. South Korea's first RQ-4B Global Hawk arrived early Monday at a military air base in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province. Northrop Grumman-Yonhap

By Jung Da-min

The first RQ-4 Block 30 Global Hawk aircraft for South Korea arrived early Monday at a military air base in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province, the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) confirmed later in the day.

The aircraft is the first to arrive in the country of the four RQ-4B Global Hawk aircraft South Korea has purchased from the U.S. The remaining three are expected to arrive next year. The ROKAF has not revealed details for its deployment plan.

The deployment of unmanned aerial vehicle is expected to strengthen South Korea’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities on the Korean Peninsula. The spy aircraft performs reconnaissance missions at high altitudes of up to 18 kilometers, providing a broad overview for an operational radius of up to 3,000 kilometers with systematic surveillance using high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and long-range electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors.

It will also boost South Korea’s Kill Chain pre-emptive strike system, a three-axis air defense system of the military along with the Korean Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) and the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation (KMPR) plan.

South Korea’s deployment of the Global Hawk spy aircraft came at a time when tensions on the peninsula have heightened after North Korea’s warning of its “Christmas gift” for the U.S. amid the stalled denuclearization negotiations.

Stephen Biegun, the top U.S. negotiator in talks with North Korea who was appointed U.S. Deputy Secretary of State last week, headed back to the U.S. after failing to meet North Korean counterparts last week during his visits to South Korea, Japan and China.

While the U.S. media reports the North might conduct an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test around Christmas, politics watchers say there is also a possibility U.S. President Donald Trump might strengthen sanctions against the North considering U.S. lawmakers’ warnings against using military options.

Meanwhile, a regular joint training event conducted by U.S. Special Operations Command Korea and Republic of Korea Special Warfare Command has drawn media attention after the U.S. military released photos from the training exercise.