PKKH Exclusive |By Abuzar Ilyas

Tensions between North Korea and the United States are at an alarming height these days. It is one of the most escalated situations between North Korea and the United States in history. Circumstances are being taken as serious as it may ignite a world war, because the world has already seen two world wars before that started from small escalations and then turned into big bloodbaths. We all know that there is no comparison between the military powers of North Korea and the US, but we also know that the economic weapon which China, the ally state of North Korea,  has in its hand, can collapse the economy of the US within a few weeks.

US NAVY aircraft carriers are famous in the world for their infinite period capability to stay in the International Waters, tens of thousands of kilometers away from home ports; and each Carrier Strike Group contains frigates, warships, destroyers, submarines and other large and small naval vessels. We can say that each Carrier Group is a complete navy, and the US NAVY has more than a dozen Carrier Groups. These Carriers are the bloodiest threats to the enemies of the US anywhere in the world; and due to her high class naval power, it is a common perception that the US rules all the oceans in the world. The other edge which the United States has on the other countries is her air force; the USAF. B-2 Strategic Stealth Bombers of the USAF can bomb any place in the world by using their long range capabilities, air refueling facilities and US Airbases in different islands.

The North Korean Armed Forces has recently been allowed to attack the USA with Nuclear Weapons, through a state-notice, after which the US decided to install missile systems in Guam islands which are at a distance of almost 3400 kms to each other, so the US Missiles can reach North Korea within minutes and can attack any part of the country.

Last week, a clean signal was given to North Korea by the USAF when two B-2 Stealth Bombers flew from Missouri and dropped dummy bombs in the country side of N. Korea and then landed into a South Korean Airbase. The B-2  Stealth Bombers have a range of 10000+ kms and the distance between the American state of Missouri and Pyongyang is 10500 kms, almost. The United States can attack North Korea with flocks of aircrafts (F-14s,F-15s, FA-18s) from its carriers, the ICBMs, the IRBMs, and the Bombers and can also attack with foot troops because the US Marines are present in the South Region of the Korean peninsula. No doubt a military might have infinite options to counter its challenger.

So much for the US military power, now let’s observe the North Korean options which they can practice in case of a full-fledged war. The North Korean Airforce (Korean People’s Airforce) is not deterrent against the fighter and bomber aircrafts of the US NAVY and the USAF. The airforce is lacking  in modern state-of-the-art fighters and strike aircrafts. State-of-the-art MIG-29 is the only competitive aircraft in its inventory if we talk in terms of technology. Other than this, the Korean Airforce comprises of MIG-23, MIG-21, F-7, A-5, etc.; aircrafts which do not fall in the category of 4th Generation War Machines. The theory of “man behind gun” can work against the 900 F-16s of the USAF. It will be a test for the North Korean Pilots to use their Russian and Chinese jets accurately against a super-power navy and air force, because when it’s about a super-power, there is no room for any mistake. The North Koreans have only 1 type of ICBM, the Taepodong-2, which has a range of 10000+ kms and is capable of traveling with the high hypersonic speed of Mach 20. But the problem is that they have only less than a half dozen of these ICBMs, while the US destroyers in the Pacific and their Patriot Defense Missiles can easily counter these ICBMs in their way to the target. The North Korean Navy has almost 70, Sang-O class, Yono class, Type-033 (Romeo) class and Whiskey class Diesel-Electric Submarines, which will undoubtedly be a threat for any expeditionary Naval Force. As we can see, the North Korean Navy has not the latest frigates, but they have more than 200 torpedo boats which can punch even a carrier strike group.

Discussed are the relative military power of the US and North Korea and I have presented all the possibilities in case of any war. The conclusion is that war is not the answer of every question. Problems can be solved with dialogues, and being a big power, the US should show some maturity because this time the belligerent is a young emperor, not a seasoned, aged democrat.

Abuzar Ilyas is researcher and Geo-political analyst. He tweets @AbuzarIlyas