China’s J-20 โStealth โFighter Reportedly Entered โSouth korean Airspace Undetected
SEOUL โ- China’sโข advanced J-20 โฃstealth fighter is believed tooโ have penetrated South Korean airspace on โmultiple occasions without being detected by the nation’s aging radar systems, โคraising โconcerns about Seoul’s air defence โคcapabilities. The revelation, discussed during a parliamentary audit of the South Korean Air Force, underscores vulnerabilities in the country’s ability to monitor aerial approaches, particularly from technologically advanced aircraft.
The incidents, involving flights near the korea Strait – approximately 20 kilometers from South Korean airspace – have prompted questions from lawmakers regarding the effectiveness ofโ the country’s radar infrastructure. While theโข South Korean Air force maintains there is โ”no concrete evidence”โ to confirmโค the J-20’sโ presence, โthe possibility ofโ undetected incursions highlights a criticalโ weakness in Seoul’s defenses as regional tensions escalate.โ
south Korea’s long-range radar systems, described as the “eyes” โคof its air defense network, are facing notable challenges due to age andโ limitations. Some FPS-117Kโค units were installed between 1987 and 1992, with the โFPS-117E1 coming online in 2004. This year alone, the Air Force recorded โ10 outagesโ of the โคFPS-117K, totaling around โค100 โฃhours ofโค downtime, and 90 hours of outage for the โฃE1 type.
“By adjusting the sensitivity, our radar โขcan even detect flocks of migratory birds,” a South Korean Air Force โขofficial stated, acknowledging the system’s capabilities while alsoโค admitting its limitations in handling โคmultipleโฃ functions โขsimultaneously.โ The aging infrastructure is so strainedโค that officialsโข haveโค termed the current state โขof surveillance as relying on “myopicโฃ eyes.”
In response, the South Korean government has โallocated 260.3 billion won (approximately 3.3 trillion Indonesian Rupiah,or roughlyโค $200 million โคUSD) for a โcomprehensive modernization of the radar system,slated for completionโ by 2029.โข Until the upgrades are implemented, โSouthโฃ Korea’s ability to detect andโ respond to potential threats remains compromised.
People Power Partyโ lawmaker โLim Jong-deukโค questioned the air Force’s awareness of potential incursions, stating, “Even if the East โStrait โis notโฃ in our jurisdiction, it is indeed only about 20โ kilometers from Korean airspace. Isn’t the military โขaware that โenemyโ planes canโ enter in a minuteโ or two?” Air Force Chief ofโ Staff General Son Seok-rak responded โคthat without a specific flight date, verification was unachievable.