/reeve.gif)
The DPRK attempted to rectify its rudimentary ASW capabilities by dealing with Havana in the early 2000s
https://www.nknews.org/2020/05/in-aid-o ... rth-korea/In fact, Cuban air- and rotorcraft deliveries date back to the early 2000s, in a deal whose details are only now coming to light.
https://www.nknews.org/2020/05/in-aid-o ... rth-korea/Apparently first receiving overhauls in Russia,
four Mi-14s and at least two Ka-28s (the export variant of the Ka-27)
were exported between 2002 to 2004 at a rate of two per year.
Additionally, all associated armaments initially received by Cuba from the Soviet Union made its way to the DPRK,
In exchange, the North Koreans reportedly agreed to supply Cuba with submarine technology,
possibly enabling the establishment of Cuba’s limited submarine development program.
https://www.nknews.org/2020/05/in-aid-o ... rth-korea/While the Mi-14s and Ka-28s represent one of the latest acquisitions for North Korea,
they were of course second hand, and for modern standards in fact quite aged.
Cuba acquired four Mi-14PLs from the Soviet Union in 1983,
with four Ka-28s following in 1988,
two of which eventually crashed.
As the KPAAF continues to operate aircraft designed in the 1940s,
the Mi-14s and Ka-28s actually represent some of their newest aircraft in service today.
https://www.nknews.org/2020/05/in-aid-o ... rth-korea/Two Ka-28s in 2019 (left) and three Mi-14PLs in 2017 (right) at their East Coast base near Wonsan. Note that the Ka-28s are lacking rotor blades | Photo: Google Earth Pro
Interestingly, satellite imagery reveals
that the two Ka-28 are in fact not the only characteristically coaxial-design Kamov helicopters in KPAAF service.
At least three more are kept together with the Cuban Ka-28s in storage at an East Coast facility North of Wonsan,
where all four Mi-14PLs also appear to be held.
https://www.nknews.org/2020/05/in-aid-o ... rth-korea/It is possible these in fact constitute civilian Ka-32s
acquired in a more conventional manner to serve as a source of spare parts,
as these rotorcraft otherwise share very little in common with the rest of the KPAAF’s helicopter fleet.
Since the North’s only helicopter-capable naval craft have now been converted to regular corvettes,
it is likely this modest fleet of ASW helicopters
will now be kept stored at this base to protect the strategically important Wonsan Gulf.
...accompanying photographs thruAs such, the North’s ASW helicopter experiment appears to have failed,
and there remains little to fear from this armament so generously provided by Cuba over a decade ago.
https://www.nknews.org/2020/05/in-aid-o ... rth-korea/