StephenRichard
Explorer
Reged: 09/29/06
Posts: 189
Loc: Chesterfield, England
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What ever this is, it isn't an airfield. If you follow its line to the south over the mountain, it comes out the other side! No doubt a tunnel but for what purpose?
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I'm at an age when my back goes out more than I do
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wbfergus
Tourist
Reged: 08/08/06
Posts: 5
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At both ends of the mountain you can see the tunnel entrances, but it's a pretty wide tunnel for such a short distance, about 100 ft. wide and 2500 ft long. Who knows what's inside.
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highground
Tourist
Reged: 08/03/05
Posts: 10
Loc: USA
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My guess (not worth much) is that it is an underground military airfield under construction (and a major effort, like few others anywhere in the world...as most of it is underground... and the underground area is where the aircraft would be stored, maintained, fueled, and readied for take-off when ordered). As such, it would provide hardened passive defense for an otherwise vulnerable forward deployed airfield (near the DMZ) and makes it extremely difficult to determine the Air Order of Battle (AOB). Hence, it inhibits early warning of an iminent launch of aircraft and the number and type of aircraft in that launch. The presumed runway extends out both sides of the tunnel (note that it is straight...a necessity for airfields) for a total of 1500 meters or ~5000 feet(measured with ruler on Google Earth...pretty short for fighter aircraft that use nominal runway lengths of about 12000 feet... also provides dual egress (and ingress?...that would be scary). Perhaps if there was a launch assist mechanism inside the mountain on the runway (like on aircraft carriers) this could still be used for fighter/bombers. It would be interesting to know the prevailing winds in the area to see how well they line up. Oh, I also did some checking, using Google Earth to determine the date of the imagery from Digital Globe, this image was acquired on 12 November 2002 (wonder how it looks now?) Two more things, 1) the 12 November 2002, Digital Globe image was centered, smack-on, another airfield that measures ~7900 feet , and, 2) If you click on the Google Earth terrain layer and then view the tunnel "airfield" in perspective, it adds additional strength that this is indeed an airfield as the "fly-out zones" are relatively clear of impeding terrain.
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Rich46yo
Tourist
Reged: 12/05/06
Posts: 32
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Looks to me like you have one of their new ballistic missile bases. They hide the bugger in the mountain and then wheel it out. This one doesnt look completed however. I'll add there looks like to little security, although there are guard posts at the road intersections. That can be attributed to the thing not being near completed yet and anyway the country is an armed camp to begin with.
I can think of no other reason to build those long platforms. OK, a little research reveals the Anbyon chemical warfare facility is located south of Wonson and its located in a mountain. That looks like what you have here. I also found some referance to a new missile base being built around Wonson. All the living facilities around the area would also suggest "under construction". Go directly S/SE of Wonson at the beginning of the mountains. There appears some type of launch facility there. or is that for SAMs?
Nice grab.
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StephenRichard
Explorer
Reged: 09/29/06
Posts: 189
Loc: Chesterfield, England
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Hi All,
After doing a bit of research I agree with Highground that it's an underground airfield and hanger facility.
See here: http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/dprk/airforce.htm
See also this post for another similar facility: http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/showthreaded.php/Number/85408
The runways appear rather short but I guess a MIG or similar fighter aircraft can get airborne in under 4000ft. It's the landing that worries me!
Heading straight for a mountain - how scary is that?
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I'm at an age when my back goes out more than I do
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Rich46yo
Tourist
Reged: 12/05/06
Posts: 32
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Regarding your link to another such facility. What I see there is two runways on either side of a mountain with no entrance to the mountain. Instead there are taxi paths to support buildings, again outside the mountain. Also, why would they make this runway 490 meters long and 15 meters wide, " a more typical fighter runway", and the platform in question "aprox" 390 meters long and 28 meters wide? If I remember my Air Force days right the absolute light load minumum for a fighter to take off, a non-VSTOL which the NKs dont have anyways, is between 400 to 500 meters.
Im trying to think like a North Korean here. True they can shelter aircraft from a Yank first strike but they must know the runways to this facility, and the entry gates, would be attacked in the first wave anyways using precision and runway denial weapons. They may be saving some aircraft for special weapon delivery but why would they do that when they have plenty of missiles which would stand a far better chance of getting thru and are far easier to hide and support then fighter aircraft? Theres no way they could land a fighter on this thing safely so why go to all this trouble, and spend so much of their limited resources, just to shelter some fighters under a rock? Would not a Finland type road dispersal plan make more sense?
Conversley why would they build such a elevated platform so large just to wheel some missiles out to fire? I suppose when compared the runway arguement makes more sense. No doubt theres another 100+ meter of runway under the mountain we cant see and while we could deny them the use of the runways for awhiles we couldnt knock out the place without a nuke.
The place is so poor notice even the support units for this facility have to grow their own foodplots. A strange country. Thanks to all for a great talk.
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Regienald
Tourist
Reged: 04/30/06
Posts: 80
Loc: Victoria, Australia
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The idea of landing into a mountain with a jet is destined to very high risk. NK dont have any aircraft with VTOL or STOL capabilitiesHowever a idea that hasnt been put forward is helicopters
The runways could act as a helicopter take off and landing strip for a number of helicopters at once. NK have three main types of helicopters. The Mi-2 HOPLITE, Mi-8 HIP, Mi-4 HOUND Z-5. Maybe this base is to support them.
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RAAF Bases
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