US RC-12 reconnaissance aircraft conducted patrols near the DPRK
17 October, 2024 Beechcraft RC-12X Guardrail reconnaissance aircraft. Photo credits: Scramble Magazine The US military sent three reconnaissance aircraft to the border with the DPRK to monitor the situation.
The reconnaissance aircraft were spotted on October 17 on the Flightradar24 online aircraft map. Two Beech RC-12X Guardrail and one Beech RC-12P Huron aircraft were involved in the patrol. The aircraft's equipment allows it to collect, process, and transmit intelligence information.
The newest versions of the RC-12 family are the RC-12X and RC-12X+ models, which were sent to the border with the DPRK.
US reconnaissance aircraft near the border with the DPRK on October 17, 2024, on the Flightradar24 online aircraft map
RC-12X sensors of the Guardrail Common Sensor type provide a wider frequency range, the ability to detect signals in standby and active mode, and an adaptive rectified antenna array capable of detecting sources in a dense signal environment. The RC-12P, for its part, is an older version of the reconnaissance aircraft of this series.
A total of 9 such aircraft were produced in 1994-1995. U.S. reconnaissance aircraft became more active in the region after the DPRK blew up several sections of roads and railways leading south to South Korea and started threatening war. The roads connecting the two countries are seen as a symbol of warming relations after the two leaders met at a summit in 2018 and declared that the two Koreas would no longer be at war.
The moment when the road between North Korea and South Korea is blown up.
Photo: Joint Headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Korea
The DPRK has announced its intention to "completely separate" its territory from South Korea and turn the border areas "into a fortress." This statement was a response to the recent dropping of propaganda leaflets by drones over Pyongyang. The DPRK accused Seoul of launching the drones. On the same day, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un discussed at a meeting with the military how Pyongyang should respond to "serious provocations by the enemy that violated the sovereignty of the DPRK."
Mobilized DPRK citizens.
Photo credits: KCNA
North Korea also stated it has mobilized 1.4 million citizens to fight in the "holy war."