As reported by 38 North on March 4, 2025, North Korea appears to be nearing completion of its first airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft, representing an expansion of its air force capabilities. Satellite imagery analysis indicates that a modified Ilyushin IL-76 aircraft has been stationed at Pyongyang’s Sunan International Airport, with a large radome mounted on its fuselage.
The radome features a triangular shape, a design seen on Chinese KJ-2000 and KJ-500 AEW aircraft, which typically house three fixed phased array radars covering 120-degree sectors each. While this configuration suggests a possible Chinese influence, there is no definitive evidence confirming direct external support.
The IL-76 was previously part of Air Koryo’s cargo fleet before being transferred to a maintenance facility in October 2023, where security fences were installed around it. Structural modifications began in November 2023, prompting speculation regarding its conversion into an AEW platform. By late 2024, visible progress had been made, and the aircraft was moved into an adjacent hangar. In February 2025, it reappeared with a mounted radome, providing the clearest indication yet of North Korea’s efforts to develop an AEW system. However, state media has not acknowledged the project.