North Korea About to Get MiG-29 and Su-27 Jets from Russia—But Are These Jets Worth It?

Reports emerged on Monday that North Korea, which halted its air force modernization after acquiring fourth-generation MiG-29 fighter jets in the early 1990s, has agreed to receive fighter jets from Russia in exchange for sending troops to support Russia in the war in Ukraine.

On December 7, Samuel Paparo, Commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, stated at a security-related conference held at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California that North Korea is negotiating with Russia to receive MiG-29 and Su-27 fighter jets as compensation for dispatching troops, with some agreements already in place. Paparo noted that while these jets are not Russia’s modern fifth-generation fighters, they remain highly formidable aircraft.

Since the 2010s, North Korea has attempted to acquire larger, high-performance fighter jets such as China’s JH-7 and Russia’s Su-35. The Chinese JH-7 is a multirole strike fighter with a maximum takeoff weight of nearly 29 tonnes, while the Russian Su-35, the largest among existing 4.5-generation fighters, has a maximum takeoff weight of 35 tonnes. North Korea’s older MiG-29 models have a maximum takeoff weight of less than 20 tonnes. Operating large fighter jets like the JH-7 or Su-35 would require North Korea to extend runway distances and modernize its airfield infrastructure.

To accommodate this, North Korea recently extended the runways at Suncheon and Bukchang Airfields near Pyongyang by 300 meters, bringing their total length to 2,800 meters. The country also made extensive upgrades, including constructing new fighter jet hangars and support facilities.

However, the MiG-29 jets North Korea is set to receive from Russia are outdated models, incapable of truly modernizing its air force. These aircraft are smaller and less capable than the Flanker series, with a reputation for durability issues in critical components, including engines. This translates to high maintenance costs and limited operational effectiveness.

Russia’s MiG-29 inventory includes around 240 jets, of which approximately 210 are older models produced during the Soviet Union era in the late 1980s to early 1990s. The remainder comprises about 30 newer models procured in small batches to sustain the manufacturer. Inspections conducted in 2009 and 2010 revealed that over 100 MiG-29 jets had been severely corroded and were non-operational due to long-term neglect. It is estimated that fewer than 70 are currently operational. With the MiG-29 production line closed, the aircraft and components destined for North Korea are believed to be from these surplus stocks.

Russia’s Su-27 fighter jets remain a cornerstone of its homeland defense operations. However, Russia is currently experiencing a shortage of fighter jets as it responds to Ukrainian drone operations, making it likely that only a limited number of Su-27 units will be provided to North Korea. All Su-27 jets currently in Russia’s possession were produced before 1991. Some of these underwent performance upgrades starting in 2004 to the Su-27SM model, with further upgrades to the Su-27SM3 underway. If Russia transfers Su-27 jets to North Korea, they are expected to be either unmodified models or early upgrade variants.

However, Russia’s efforts to diversify its supply chain, including sourcing parts from Indian Su-30 production facilities and establishing new production lines in Iran, open the possibility that North Korea could acquire more advanced 4.5-generation-plus fighters like the Su-30SM2 or Su-35S.

These advanced fighters would match the capabilities of South Korea’s F-16 and F-15K fighter jets. As such, South Korea must closely monitor the expansion of North Korea-Russia military cooperation and the developments in their fighter jet transactions to prepare adequate countermeasures.

Governments and experts have long speculated that North Korea could receive fighter jets as compensation for supplying troops and weapons to Russia.

When Kim Jong Un visited Russia in the fall of 2023, he toured the aircraft manufacturing plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur in the Far East. During the visit, Kim showed significant interest in Russia’s newest fifth-generation stealth fighter, the Su-57, and the latest 4.5-generation fighter models, including the Su-35, which Russia calls 4.5-generation.

Recently, the CEO of Russia’s state-run arms export company announced that the company had signed an agreement to export Su-57 fighters to an undisclosed country. This further fuelled speculation that North Korea could be acquiring advanced fighter jets.

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service has reported to lawmakers that North Korea sent personnel to Russia for training on new fighter jets, coinciding with Kim’s visit.