North Korea Assembles First Il-76-Based Early Warning Aircraft

North Korea has completed the assembly of its first early warning and control aircraft (ELC) based on the Il-76 airframe.

38north website reported on this.

Satellite images from March 3, 2025, show that a radar system has been installed on a modified Il-76, which had previously been observed undergoing conversion into an early warning platform.

The radar system features distinctive markings not seen on U.S. or Russian aircraft but commonly found on Chinese early warning and control planes.

Such designations on Chinese aircraft mean the use of three phased antenna arrays with a 120-degree view to scan the airspace without turning.

Images indicate that the radar system likely consists of three phased array antennas with a 120-degree field of view, enabling continuous airspace scanning without the need for rotation.

According to 38north, it remains unclear whether the system was sourced from China.

In mid-2024, satellite images captured an Il-76 at Sunan Airport—home to a significant portion of North Korea’s civil aviation fleet. Satellite images taken on July 15, 2024, showed the aircraft was parked in a fenced-off area with unidentified equipment nearby.

In addition, photos captured mounting brackets on the upper fuselage of the Il-76, resembling structures used for phased array radar installations. The Soviet-designed A-50, an early warning and control aircraft developed in the 1970s, employs a similar configuration.

According to 38 North, the modification work was launched in November 2023, when initial activity around the aircraft was first observed.

By October 2024, ground-level photos confirmed ongoing upgrades to convert the plane into an early warning platform.

The Il-76 is not part of North Korea’s air force but is one of three aircraft of its type operated by Air Koryo, the country’s state airline.