N.K. Leader Kim Jong-un Oversees Anti-Air Combat Drills, Stresses Stronger War Preparations

Pyongyang: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversaw anti-air combat and air raid drills by an air force flight group this week, emphasizing the need for constant and stronger war preparations across all military units, as reported by Pyongyang's state media.According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim provided guidance during his visit to the flight group under the Guards 1st Air Division of the Korean People's Army. He called for "all the units of the entire army to bring about a radical turn in the preparations for war in constant war posture," as stated by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).The exercises were conducted to familiarize flying corps and anti-air missile, radar, and electronic warfare subunits with missions to detect, track, and destroy enemy cruise missiles and suicide drones, as mentioned by the KCNA.The drills featured a test of a new-type long-range precision glide guided bomb, a target attack exercise, training for destroying enemy drones with a helicopter, precision bombing of naval targ ets, and demonstration flights of strategic reconnaissance drones and multipurpose drones, according to the KCNA.Kim described the drills as "very useful" for allowing pilots to gain experience in modern air combat methods and provided directions for the development of air weapon systems, air defense means, detection and electronic warfare integrated systems, and anti-drone integrated systems, as noted by the KCNA.The drills showcased the air defense capabilities of the groups under the Guards 1st Air Division, as highlighted by the state media.Kim was accompanied by a group of party and military officials, including Ri Pyong-chol, general adviser for the munitions policy of the ruling Workers' Party's Central Committee, and Kim Yong-hwan, president of the Academy of Defence Sciences.