A spokesman for the [South Korean] joint chiefs would not release specific details about the activity. But sources say the North Korean jets have been making dozens of daily sorties with several approaching what is known as the Tactical Action Line. That is the point between 20 and 50 kilometers north of South Korean airspace. Any aircraft approaching that line compels fighter jets in the South to scramble.
It is odd because North Korea can hardly afford the money for fuel and for maintenance to fly their planes. Why are there dozens of sorties per day? Are the North Koreans familiarizing their pilots with the simple task of just taking off?
Not that I really think that North Korea is getting their air force ready to attack South Korea. The South Koreans--with our substantial help--would rip North Korea's planes out of the sky in a war.
But I'd expect any North Korean provocation like attacking a ship or bombarding South Korean troops would be followed by a big alpha strike against the offending North Korean forces or base that launched such attacks.
I have no idea if that term is still used, but it used to mean a big coordinated air attack with bombers, escorts, and electronic warfare and counter-air planes to pave the way for the strike package.
If North Korea expects that kind of reaction, too, they might want their pilots to have at least the confidence that they can get in the air to at least try to defend their air space and maybe get lucky and knock one down.
It just doesn't make sense that the North Koreans would be putting planes in the air as a show of support for Kim Jon-Un. But I just might be unable to really think like the North Koreans to make that judgment.
